Pain Without Tears
by madmanmay
Summary: This is what happens when you leave Mayuri Kurotsuchi alone in a laboratory. Things have a tendency to just die. AU Winter/War fic. Chapter features Retsu Unohana and Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
1. I miss you captain

Greetings readers. It's been quite a while since I last put words to page for the fun of it. Hopefully this will prove to be something that you all will enjoy, just a thought that popped into my head that I decided to run with.

It will be AU, slightly ahead of the timeline as far as 315, but other than that I don't want to disclose too much. May or may not focus on several different characters depending on how far this idea takes me, and how many chapters I'm inspired to write.

I am a manga reader, but I'm more comfortable writing in as little Japanese as possible. Hope you manga fans can bear with me on that.

Can't think of anything else to bore you guys with beforehand so without further ado…

&

A relieved sigh passed through dry lips as she finally allowed her spiritual pressure to seep away from her fingertips. Rocking back on numb legs her palms splayed out across cold stone behind her as her head rolled, listless, across tense shoulders. The parts of her body that were not numbed from lack of circulation ached, consistently demanding rest, and threatened to sap her focus and concentration. Every movement burned a white-hot trail across abused muscles, the loudest complaints easily coming from her arms and shoulders. Even worse was the incessant throbbing that stitched her left side with every breath.

She endured the pain silently, and without complaint. Her own suffering seemed moot when compared to the girl stretched out before her. The left side of her face was grotesquely puckered and blistered, unnaturally red and distended. The damage extended down her neck and into the folds of her black uniform, and even marred the exposed skin of her left hand. Despite the terrible burns her chest was slowly rising and falling, and the soft whistle of her breathing brought a wan smile to the face of her caregiver. It had been two hours since the treatment began, but she was finally out of danger.

"Good girl." She murmured, the words a tired whisper as she gently brushed two slender fingers along her patients unblemished right cheek. "Just like that."

"Lieutenant Kotetsu?" She lifted her gaze to the young man that finished sinking to his knees at her side, gratefully accepting the cup he offered with both hands.

She nearly moaned as the heat eased through her palms and loosened some of the tension, "Thank you Hanataro." She lifted the cup and breathed deeply, ignoring the sharp pain from bruised ribs as she allowed the aroma to relax her. "It smells divine."

"Are your ribs still bothering you?" He asked. "It's quieted down for a moment, I could tend to them if you want."

She desperately wanted to say yes, but her lips turned up in a grimace and one eye shut tightly. She had shifted the wrong way and a fresh pain shot up her left side. Yet when the discomfort passed and she turned a critical gaze to Hanataro, she couldn't help but notice the bruises under his eyes, and the pallor in his cheeks. "Neither of us has the strength to waste on superficial injuries. Take the opportunity to wash up and get some rest Hanataro."

"But…" He tried to protest, but her gentle smile and the slow swaying of her braids stopped him. "Yes ma'am. Please enjoy the tea before you leave."

He missed the frown that marred her features as he climbed to his feet. It was an unwelcome reminder, and completely ruined her mood. She returned her gaze to the girl before her. Yes, she had managed to stabilize her, and she was no longer in danger of dying, but she was far from healthy.

She would need much more attention from skilled healers if they ever hoped to repair the burns. Isane would have preferred to continue working with the girl, but the same sense of duty and responsibility that forced her to turn away Hanataro stayed her hand. Given enough time, the burned victim would recover on her own. She would no longer be beautiful, but she would live. There were just far too many casualties in danger of dying, and Squad 4 was already stretched to the breaking point.

What Isane found most frustrating, even beyond the lack of proper supplies and rest for her medical staff, and even beyond the war itself, was her Bankai training.

The Captain-Commander himself had given the order. "_We find ourselves in dangerous times. Now, more than ever, Soul Society requires your strength to defeat our enemies. Formidable as you all are now, you must grow stronger still._" Isane shuddered, his voice just as potent in her memory as it was that day. "_Effective immediately, all Lieutenants and acting Lieutenants will undertake Bankai training._"

As if the Captain-Commander's presence and voice weren't intimidating enough, he had opened his eyes, slowly, and methodically he held the gaze of each lieutenant in turn. Isane had been standing at stiff attention with wide surprised eyes when he finally focused on her. The weight of his stare forced the breath from her lungs, and her knees threatened to buckle.

It took every ounce of discipline and will power in her body to avoid sagging to her knees in relief when he finally released her. She knew in her head that it couldn't have been more than a moment, but with the ache in her stomach and the ice squeezing her heart it had seemed a century.

She hadn't had the presence of mind to take in the reactions of her colleagues, but conferring with them later revealed that many had similar reactions. Even little Yachiru, the most infallibly positive of them, wasn't smiling.

It had been three months since Yamamoto had given the order, and none of them had achieved Bankai. Isane's sessions dragged on painfully for hours at a time, and Itegumo showed no mercy or kindness. Yet it wasn't the fact that she had yet to subdue her Zanpakto that frustrated her so much. It wasn't even her complete lack of any progress. Every minute she spent training was another minute she lost with her patients. Their lives depended on her skills and attention, and already at least five had died that she could have saved. Yet despite every protest and argument she levied to the Captain-Commander, his orders stood.

Her tea had long gone cold in her hands as her sad eyes surveyed the burned girl before her. She doubted that Captain Kuchiki would even be able to recognize her, his 11th seat, the only survivor of a vicious ambush.

Isane let out a deep sigh, eyes closed, and shoulders slumped before she finally resigned herself to climb to her aching feet. The only thing worse than her training sessions was being late.

&

"Good afternoon Captain Kurotsuchi." Isane had to fight to keep her voice civil as she forced her weary body to put one foot in front of the other after a short bow.

As usual, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had arrived before her, and he made no effort to hide the disdain in his golden eyes as his lips curled back into a sneer. "Spare me your insincere pleasantries girl. Hurry along now, the sooner we begin this ridiculous waste of my time, the sooner I can be rid of you."

"My apologies Captain." Isane came to a stop within arms reach, and wordlessly closed her eyes and lifted her arms away from her sides.

Mayuri began without further preamble. No matter how many times Isane was forced to submit herself to his examinations she could never get used to the sickening feel of his bony fingers prodding her body. The woman in her whimpered quietly in her mind as he moved over her shoulders and chest, disgusted and frightened that he would take advantage. Thankfully he never did, his touch was completely mechanical, devoid of any desire or warmth.

The healer in her observed that he was firm but not painful, flawlessly exerting enough pressure to diagnose every bruise and laceration without causing unnecessary discomfort. Of course that didn't stop the grimace from flashing across her face as he examined her bruised ribs.

"Clumsy girl." Mayuri chastised her, though not as venomously as he usually did, "Nearly as useless as Nemu."

Fire surged through her and Isane almost bit out a scathing retort, but forced it back. Antagonizing Mayuri Kurotsuchi on a good day was suicidal. Antagonizing him on a day when the Captain-Commander pulled him away from his research so he could baby sit a Lieutenant during her Bankai training? Well, he wouldn't be kind enough to just kill her.

He had finished with his prodding, and Isane braced herself for what would be coming next. His physical examinations made Isane ill, but what was coming was far worse. She promised herself every time that she would not cry out, but she disappointed herself again. She couldn't hold back the startled yelp as her eyes shot open and her body went painfully rigid.

Mayuri had spread his right hand between her breasts, the nail on his middle finger reaching her neck. The physical violation barely registered in her startled mind, but it was a small mercy. Mayuri's spiritual pressure enveloped every inch of her being in a painful vice grip. He refused to let her sink to her knees, and tears unwillingly began to roll lazily down Isane's cheeks as she desperately panted, trying to force air into her starving lungs, even as her abused ribs screamed in anguish.

As quickly as it started, it was over, and Isane dropped to her knees, and then landed on her right side. Mayuri paid her no mind as he turned away and pulled a syringe from inside his haori.

"How many times must I tell you? Draining your spiritual pressure so severely makes measuring your progress impossible." Mayuri had an array of jars in front of him, and he was methodically drawing specific amounts into the syringe.

Isane was still gasping for breath and wincing against the pain in her ribs, but choked out, "My patients would die if I didn't!" Mayuri chose to ignore her outburst, and she took another deep breath, "Besides…isn't that…exactly why…Yamamoto assigned you to my training?" She was forced to take another deep breath, "So that no matter how hard I have to push myself to heal. No matter how tired I am…you can shoot that poison in me!"

It was his left hand this time. Isane's outburst was abruptly cut off with a horrible gag as an impossibly strong grip closed her windpipe. Isane briefly felt weightless as the air rushed past her ears. Her head and back met the unyielding cold sekki sekki stone of the wall with a resounding crack and her arms flopped listlessly at her sides. She continued to gag as her feet futilely tried to find purchase. Her height was the only thing that prevented Kurotsuchi from lifting her completely into the air.

His golden eyes blazed with fury, "Every session you fail to complete this training is another insult woman." His grip tightened, "So while I am here spending my precious time and resources on you, your insolence will not be tolerated."

In a coughing fit Isane slid to the floor as her hands cradled her abused throat, her legs folded beneath her. "Poison?" Mayuri spat the word. "How dare you child! When the day comes that I poison you, I promise you, you'll know it!"

He finally turned away from her and finished preparing the syringe. "Stop making that awful noise and prepare yourself. I won't be gentle this time."

Fear ripping through her Isane sucked in a deep breath and hurried to obey the order. Experience taught her that when he was this agitated he would go out of his way to make the injection as uncomfortable as possible. She knew that she looked utterly defeated and miserable as she loosened her robes and lowered them off of her neck.

His left hand viciously tilted her head forward but she suppressed the whimper that begged to crawl from her throat. This was by far the worst part. "Such an ungrateful brat you are." She felt the tip of the syringe settle over the tract mark directly above the gap between her second and third vertebrae. "It takes days and precious scarce resources to make this medicine." Then the pinch as the needle pierced flesh. "Poison?" He scoffed again, "Insulting." The burn as the needle descended. His grip tightened uncomfortably on her scalp, but Isane didn't complain, it was meant to prevent her from suddenly jerking and breaking the needle off in her flesh.

He depressed the plunger without warning, and withdrew the syringe swiftly. He dropped to his knees behind her and wrapped his free arm securely around her shoulders. He barely had time to secure his grip before the most horrible keening wail erupted past Isane's lips, and the convulsions started. She struggled against him with all of her might, but as always he held fast, preventing her from breaking her neck or smashing her skull open. Her spirit energy flared violently, unnaturally stimulated and running white hot inside her body. The lactic acid deposits in her muscles were seared away, cells rapidly divided to replace damaged tissues, but by far the most uncomfortable side effect was to her nervous system. Briefly augmented to process information thousands of times more efficiently, she was able to feel each of the millions of dead cells as they were torn away and devoured in the fire of her spirit energy.

As always the fire died abruptly, leaving no pain behind but the memory of it. Mayuri released her, slowly lowering her head to rest on the ground before climbing back to his feet. It was the closest thing to compassion he ever showed her.

He stepped swiftly to the door of the small room and stopped, keeping his back to her as he spoke, "Five minutes to compose yourself girl. You don't want to know what I'll do to you if you exceed it."

He was gone, and she was alone. She didn't ache anymore, and her breathing didn't hurt. Her exhaustion was gone, and her spiritual pressure surged to its peak. She felt like she had just stepped under a warm shower after weeks in cold mud.

She couldn't recall a single time in her life she wanted to cry more than this moment, but the tears refused to fall, another side effect. "Oh Captain…" Isane sobbed "I miss you so much."

&

Well there it is. Not a bad start I think.

If I decide to continue, it will not be a mayuri/isane ship if that's what y'all are thinking. Even I'm not that cruel to her.

Kindly let me know what you think.


	2. Frustrating Specimen

Wow, as far as hits per chapter, alerts, and favorites list, this is already my most popular story. I find myself wondering if 110 hits is "good" per say for a bleach story, but I've decided to try not to dwell on it. I'm sure comparing the hits from chapter 1 to 2 will provide a more accurate account of how many of y'all are actually enjoying this, so I'm hoping for positive feedback!

To my reviewers.

Hakkyou: I'm glad you enjoyed it, and rest assured, Mayuri will remain a central character in this story.

Hassun: I'm glad you like how I handle Mayuri, I was actually concerned about it. Rest assured, as long as my muse lives this shall continue, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story, not just Mayuri!

QuinnAstaire: Wow, what a ringing endorsement for my skill with Mayuri. Thank you very much for your kind words.

Does no one like my Isane? She's one of my favorite characters, and while I know I've been pretty mean to her so far, I was hoping to hear back that I was at least making her believable.

Okay enough from me, please enjoy Chapter 2.

Frustrating Specimen

&

_He stepped swiftly to the door of the small room and stopped, keeping his back to her as he spoke, _"Five minutes to compose yourself girl. You don't want to know what I'll do to you if you exceed it."

_He was gone, and she was alone. She didn't ache anymore, and her breathing didn't hurt. Her exhaustion was gone, and her spiritual pressure surged to its peak. She felt like she had just stepped under a warm shower after weeks in cold mud. _

_She couldn't recall a single time in her life she wanted to cry more than this moment, but the tears refused to fall, another side effect. _"Oh Captain…"_ Isane sobbed _"I miss you so much."

&

Isane did not keep Captain Kurotsuchi waiting past his deadline. After straightening her robes, removing her earrings, and strapping Itegumo securely against her side, she left the small room that served as their meeting place. It was close to the Squad 1 barracks.

The sun had finished setting, a dull orange glow barely peaked over the western horizon while a small breeze gently lifted her braids. A small sigh escaped her as she began walking.

Winter in Soul Society was usually Isane's favorite season. Itegumo's disposition was greatly improved in the cooler air, and Isane herself loved the refreshing chill that seeped into her lungs with every breath. In the past, the winter months also usually meant less work for Squad 4. The shorter days and cold weather typically encouraged Shinigami to remain indoors whenever possible.

Of course, Squad 11 still managed to account for an excessive portion of injuries. Captain Zaraki would never let a small thing like hypothermia deter his masochistic training regimes. Unfortunately most of his men didn't even have a tenth of his constitution, so in addition to broken limbs, lacerations, and blood loss, Isane sometimes found herself treating frostbite and even gangrene.

Isane actually covered her mouth with a hand and giggled at the memory of Ikkaku Madarame's panicked face. The fool had waited days to report to Squad 4, insisting that his homeopathic medicines and voodoo dances would cure all his ails. When he finally arrived for treatment it was at a dead run with his Captains' blade at his neck. How Ikkaku managed to keep ahead of Zaraki on that leg Isane had no clue.

When Isane surveyed the damage and declared that amputation might be necessary, Zaraki just shook his head, "_The man can't fight on one leg, If you can't fix him, its time to put him down." _

Isane had actually laughed, completely underestimating the manic grin that Zaraki sported as he lifted his sword over his head. It wasn't until Ikkaku whimpered and tried to hide behind her that she took in the crazed look in Zaraki's eye. Then she realized the lunatic might very well just slice through her to get to Madarame.

If Captain Unohana hadn't decided to walk in that very moment…

Her smile instantly died, and the familiar ache settled over her. It had been during winter that the war started, and it was during winter that her Captain was taken from her. Nearly a year had passed, but it hadn't gotten any easier. During the worst nights when casualties came by the dozens, broken and mutilated in ways that Isane had never seen before the war, there wasn't anything she wouldn't have given just to hear Unohana's voice.

"_It's alright Isane. Rest easy."_ Barely louder than a whisper, but always able to calm her racing heart.

She could remember the words, but the feeling was nearly gone, only an echo.

Winter wasn't her favorite season anymore.

She was abruptly broken from her reverie as a chill ghosted down her spine, "Finally. I was starting to lose my patience."

If she had any choice in the matter she wouldn't be within a mile of the man. All Shinigami, Kurotsuchi included, were caretakers of human souls, but Isane couldn't help but silently muse that he was just as vile as any Hollow she had ever fought.

She had long given up on trying to observe any positive qualities in him. Of course she recognized he was brilliant and powerful, but the manner in which he used his gifts terrified her even more than his nightmarish appearance did.

"Are you done staring yet girl?" He snapped.

She flinched, her right hand closed into a tight fist over her heart, "Forgive me Captain, I was lost in my thoughts for a moment."

His head tilted sharply to the left, "Anything useful?"

"I'm afraid not sir." She responded.

She actually heard his sigh, "Disappointing." Without another word he spun, the back of his haori kicked up by the speed of his gait. Despite his quick stride it only took a moment for Isane to settle into traditional position behind him and slightly to his side.

&

It was one of the most massive rooms that Isane had ever visited, but it was also among the emptiest. It was completely enclosed by thick sekki sekki stone, no windows, and only one door. The floor was smooth unblemished stone that she knew stretched hundreds of yards in front of her, but the far wall and the high ceiling were obscured in darkness.

Mayuri exerted his spirit energy with a crisp snap of his fingers, the sound echoing brilliantly in the chamber. Instantly dozens of bright orange flames flared to life, evenly spaced along the circular wall. Isane's eyes quickly adjusted to the sudden bright light, but there was still nothing to see. It was just empty space, but it served an important function.

It could only be opened with the spiritual pressure and Zanpakto of a Gotei 13 Captain. Once someone was inside the door remained sealed, only opening to allow them an exit. The sekki sekki stone wall was meters thick, circular, and several stories tall.

The chamber was completely impregnable, secure from any possible attempt at forced entry, and safe from prying eyes and ears. Since its completion, and in all of its long history not even one hundred individuals had been allowed to step foot inside.

It had no official name, but when Shinigami gossiped about it in casual conversation they typically referred to it simply as the Bankai chamber. With only rare exception, every Bankai in the history of the Soul Society was mastered in this room.

Its sole purpose was to preserve the secrecy of all Captain level Shinigami's Bankai. It was one thing to know academically that, save one, every single Shinigami to ever serve as a Gotei 13 Captain had mastered Bankai. It was quite another to observe their Bankai in person, and to know its strengths and capabilities.

The Captains always stressed the importance of holding back their Bankai to their pupils. Once learned and properly mastered, it was taboo to perform it in all but the most extreme circumstances. Unless forced to perform Bankai in the heat of battle, typically only four to five individuals would ever understand the strength and power of a Shinigami's Bankai.

During the course of the war, despite the terrible battles only four of the Captains and one Lieutenant continually made use of their Bankai. It was precisely because their powers were already known by the enemy that Captains Hitsugaya, Kuchiki, Kurotsuchi, Zaraki, and Komamura typically formed the spearhead of any Soul Society action against Aizen's Arrancar army.

Every Bankai that remained a mystery to Aizen was another ace in the hole. Soul Society still possessed four such aces.

Isane was attempting to become the fifth.

&

"What are your orders Captain Kurotsuchi?" Isane assumed her usual position near the center of the chamber, Mayuri was several paces ahead of her staring off into space, providing her with his profile.

He trained his one visible eye on her, his arms remained limp at his side, "Tell me something child. If I were to succumb to madness and leave you to your own devices, how would you proceed?"

Isane was floored. In all the time she had known the man he had never asked for her opinion. If he asked any questions at all, he already knew the answers, or at least the answers he wanted.

Isane's throat was suddenly dry as she began, "I…I suppose." He narrowed his gaze, and Isane quickly swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again. "I suppose I would manifest my Zanpakto and continue my efforts to subjugate her."

He turned his head slightly, bringing his other eye into view. He remained motionless, but held her in his gaze, his upper lip parted to reveal four perfectly symmetrical square teeth that glistened. At that angle his oddly colored irises caught and reflected the torchlight, the amber glow pierced Isane and pinned her in place. She desperately wanted to shift her gaze to break his hold, but he didn't allow any escape.

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and her heart raced. She felt light-headed, the room seemed to spin, and her stomach churned.

She almost jumped when his lips moved, "I'm waiting. Continue."

"Sir?" It was a familiar feeling, the knot in her stomach. Not necessarily limited to Captain Kurotsuchi, but he inspired this cold dread in her far more often than anyone else she knew. The panic that settled over her whenever she knew she was failing to meet the expectations of her superiors.

He didn't answer her immediately. The growing silence was broken only by the intermittent crack of a distant torch. Isane's anxiety only grew, her heart thundering, silently begging him to say anything, even if only to berate and belittle her.

"You are without a doubt one of the most frustrating specimens I've ever studied girl." Isane finally blinked. It wasn't the first time he'd referred to her as a specimen in her presence, but what was surprising was his tone. Irritated, bored, pained, clipped, smug, amused, condescending, malicious, were among the words she would use describe how he usually spoke to her. This was far different, he sounded almost…incredulous, as if Isane was a problem he just couldn't for the life of him solve. It was even more disconcerting than when he roared at the top of his lungs at her.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean Captain." Isane ventured.

"Obviously!" He snapped back. A breath escaped her, anger, this was far more familiar territory, and it was almost a relief. Then she noticed his hand curl into a vicious fist, and thought she could hear the muscles straining from several paces away. Unconsciously she took a step back, and grabbed both of her elbows, fighting the urge to grasp Itegumo.

He finally turned to fully face Isane and began stalking towards her, a strangled cry of panic seeped past her lips as she began backpedaling, desperate to maintain the distance between them.

She had seen this look on him before. His top eyelids partially draped over his irises, his lips tightly clenched, only the very bottom of his top row of teeth visible behind them, he slowly lifted his right arm, and his fingers creaked under the strain as he viciously flexed them into a claw.

Isane's heart almost stopped as the obvious conclusion screamed inside her head.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi intended to murder her.

Isane finally pivoted on her right foot, adrenaline surged as instinct took over. When Mayuri Kurotsuchi truly intended to kill something, when his prey finally managed to infuriate him enough to inspire blind passionate bloodlust, fight or flight was not an accurate list of the options available.

If Isane didn't get out of the room, she was going to die, and it would not be clean or quick.

Isane didn't even have time to complete her turn, Mayuri's flash step was perfect, he was between Isane and the only exit, and his Zanpakto was arching towards Isane's neck in a downward slash.

Isane had no idea how she managed to draw Itegumo fast enough to parry the strike, her arms screamed under the brutality of the blow. Combat training took over as Isane planted her left foot and stepped into a lock with Kurotsuchi, her whole body trembled with the strain.

People often underestimated Mayuri's combat abilities. They took in his appearance, his speech, all of his eccentricities, and dismissed him as a lunatic. Of course they recognized he was dangerous, but they only feared his mind, and his usual style of combat reinforced the misconception. Mayuri usually preferred to plan out his battles well in advance and achieve victory while exerting the least possible physical effort. Isane however, knew first hand that when it came to the four forms of Shinigami combat, he was formidable enough to stand toe to toe with almost any other Captain.

She wasn't the least bit surprised that it only took two flicks of Mayuri's wrists to break the lock and throw Itegumo over her head.

Mayuri stepped into a sidekick, planting his right foot into Isane's stomach with enough force to pulverize stone. Isane folded underneath the blow, her eyes bulged and her mouth opened managing to squeeze out a sound that sounded like both a gasp and a grunt as all the air was forced from her lungs.

She flew back several yards before landing on her back, her head slammed into the unyielding stone and light flashed painfully behind her tightly shut eyes.

"Hadou 63." His voice was crazed, as he focused his energy to his right palm.

Isane's eyes shot open as he announced his spell.

"Raikoho!" A yellow lance of power erupted from his outstretched palm, eager to consume Isane's sprawled form. The ground shook under the force of the explosion, but there was no smoke or debris, the chamber had been designed to endure far worse punishment.

Isane fell to her hands and knees, panting, several yards away. Her flash step had been clumsy, unable to focus properly with the ringing in her head and the panic gripping her heart, the move had cost her far more energy than it should have. "Captain Kurotsuchi!" She wailed on labored breath. "Please stop!"

"Stop?" His expression hadn't changed, but he titled his head sharply to the left, one of many odd quirks. "Very well child, I'll put a stop to this ridiculous farce." He reversed his grip on his blade, and held it over its scabbard as if he were about to sheath it.

Her breathing froze, her heart stuttered, her whole body tensed.

He wouldn't…

He couldn't possibly be intending to…

"Bankai."

&

Oh man, a cliffie.

I actually went through 2 other versions of this chapter that involved quite a few different plot elements, but I eventually discarded them as stupid and boring. When this version flowed from my brain, I knew immediately I was much, much closer to the mark.

Sorry if "Bankai Chamber" is a little dull. I was intending to throw some poetic theatrical names into an English-Japanese translator to try and come up with something much better, but I decided that would be even more tacky than the name I came up with.

But hey if anyone has any ideas about what I could call it I'd be more than happy to go back and edit that part if I like the suggestion enough, and I'd be sure to accredit the suggesting author.

If you don't understand YET why Mayuri went all homicidal on Isane there, ask yourself, does he really need a reason? But seriously, don't worry if you don't get it, you will next chapter.

Oh, and just in case anyone thinks I'm insane to suggest that Kurotsuchi is good enough to beat Zaraki in swordsmanship, Soi Fong in hand to hand combat, or Byakuya in flash steps, that wasn't what I was trying to say. I was just saying that as a Captain he is proficient enough with those skills to provide a formidable match up against any of those captains in their specialized field.

That, combined with his brilliant insanity, easily makes Mayuri dangerous enough to stand toe to toe with almost any other captain. He wouldn't necessarily win, but the other guy sure as hell wouldn't be pretty afterwards, and unless Nemu is around with some handy antidote, would probably end up dying anyway.

I am really excited about this story, and hope you guys are too. I'm really hoping for some constructive feedback, if you guys think I should include more Japanese terms, what I could improve upon, I would certainly appreciate it.

Of course I'm dying to know if you guys just plain loved it as well. So please click the button!

Until next time.

Madmanmay.


	3. Breathe Itegumo

Hey guys! Here we are a week later with chapter 3! I'm excited and I think you'll like it. The hundred of you or so that actually went on to read chapter 2 that is!

To my reviewers.

QuinnAstaire: I continue to appreciate your kind words, and I'm glad you enjoy the story so much. I'm flattered that you've added it to your favorites.

ReFurAg: Don't worry, the other training pairs will be revealed within a few chapters. I don't think any of them can match Isane-Mayuri in sheer intensity/weirdness though. I'm glad you like my idea, I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Artificial Life Creator: I'm glad you're so excited about my story! While I am a weird fellow, I do concur with you that an Isane/Mayuri ship would be just…creepy. Perhaps in another story then! I do find it kind of annoying in some stories when authors make minor characters unbelievable powerful, so I think it may be a stretch to say Isane will be another Hitsugaya in this story. However since Kubo hasn't really assessed her strength in any meaningful way I hope I have enough leeway to satisfy everyone with her capabilities. Good, but not too good y'know?

VioTanequil: I'm so glad you like how I'm handling the characters. A lot of the minor characters are my favorites too!

I think I got everyone! So please do enjoy and review!

Chapter 3: Breathe Itegumo

&

_Isane fell to her hands and knees, panting, several yards away. Her flash step had been clumsy, unable to focus properly with the ringing in her head and the panic gripping her heart. The move had cost her far more energy than it should have._ "Captain Kurotsuchi!" _She wailed on labored breath._ "Please stop!"

"Stop?" _His expression hadn't changed, but he titled his head sharply to the left, one of many odd quirks._ "Very well child, I'll put a stop to this ridiculous farce." _He reversed his grip on his blade, and held it over its scabbard as if he were about to sheath it. _

_Her breathing froze, her heart stuttered, her whole body tensed. _

_He wouldn't…_

_He couldn't possibly be intending to…_

"Bankai."

&

Isane flinched as Mayuri's spiritual pressure erupted in a cloud of noxious gases, blowing past her with the force of a hurricane. The familiar caterpillar body coiled behind him, writhing and shifting as its head rose into view. Isane's stomach heaved in revulsion as two enormous white eyes seemed to focus on her, a monster wearing the face of an infant, its silver halo a mockery of its purpose. This was Captain Kurotsuchi's Bankai.

"Konjiki Ashiogi Jizo." There was a manic gleam in Kurotsuchi's eyes as he let his sword arm fall back to his side, his Zanpakto reverse gripped.

Isane's mind went blank, adrenaline surged, and her heart raced in her chest, begging with all of its might for her to flee. She would've been more than happy to oblige her survival instinct; unfortunately there was only one way out. Directly behind the man that intended to kill her. Her mouth worked silently as panic induced tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Mayuri lifted his left hand to cup his ear piece, "What's that my dear?" His grin widened, "You'll have to speak up."

"Please." Her head shook slowly, her eyes wide, "Please don't do this Captain Kurotsuchi." She knew appealing to his mercy was useless, but it was her only chance. Here, in this room, the only person who would ever know what truly happened to her would be Kurotsuchi. He could make up any lie he wanted, and it was well within his power to make the physical evidence support any story immaculately.

"However it is I've offended you, it isn't worth this." Isane begged.

His shoulders shook lightly as a chuckle escaped him, sardonic and cruel. "You have no idea do you child? The trouble you've caused me?" Isane was in a daze, she didn't even realize that her head shook softly back and forth, a silent answer to his questions. "No matter. I refuse to indulge you any longer." His gaze narrowed as he released his spiritual pressure in a steady wave, the monster behind him began to move, rising up and towering over Isane.

"I do hope you manage to have an interesting death girl." He cackled, "After all, I am overdue compensation for my valuable time!"

His Bankai hissed like a snake as it belched forth a massive cloud of purple miasma. The dread that had settled into her stomach the moment she realized Kurotsuchi was out for blood only gripped tighter. She had seen first hand what that poison was capable of, she also had the added disadvantage of understanding perfectly how it would literally rip her apart one blood vessel at a time.

Her breathing was shaky and uneven. Her body trembled furiously. Everything seemed to slip away, everything except the monster that loomed in front of her promising death.

It was the smell that finally broke Isane from her stupor. The cloying stench of rot and decay struck her like a fist, the poison had nearly reached her. The shock pulled her into focus. As hopeless as it seemed, she would fight.

"Run!" She jumped to her feet and turned in the same motion. Her long legs pumped furiously as she tried to gain distance, "Itegumo!" Her spiritual pressure flared as her Zanpakto glowed, eager to answer her call. She skidded briefly, her momentum carrying her as she planted her feet and spun to face her enemy. With a sharp snap of her wrist, she flexed her sword arm behind her, parallel to the ground, dispelling the light that obscured her sword. No longer one continuous surface of curved steel, but three blades.

Mayuri's voice seemed to reverberate throughout the chamber, surrounding her, and grating against her with his amusement. "Shikai?" He mused. "I wonder what you hope to accomplish with that."

Her eyebrows arched as she set her shoulders, tightening her grip on the sword with both hands. "I'll defend myself if you make me Captain Kurotsuchi." She was amazed that her voice didn't falter. "I only need to get lucky once."

He literally cackled. "Then by all means, try your luck girl." His Bankai screeched as dozens of blades erupted from its chest, poison continuously seeped out of its mouth as it rapidly built up speed, rushing forward for the kill.

Isane's eyes narrowed as she focused, she knew standing her ground before Kurotsuchi's Bankai was suicide. Luckily while the lumbering beast could travel quickly in a straight line, it had no grace or agility. Her first flash step removed her from the path of its charge.

"Hadou One!" Her left index finger leveled on Kurotsuchi, "Sho!" She barely finished her spell when she moved into another flash step, bringing her within striking distance of Kurotsuchi.

Steel sang as their blades clashed. The deranged smile never left Mayuri's face as he held fast against Isane's attack. His spiritual pressure didn't even falter, her thrust spell barely ruffled his haori, but it did manage to clear the poison mist from the air. He easily parried three more strikes, his feet remained planted, only his sword arm moved.

"My, my." Kurotsuchi remarked with a grin as he continued to defend himself. "I've never seen you take to a fight so vigorously before girl. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Unohana didn't manage to completely silence the killer instincts in you."

Mayuri's eyes narrowed dangerously as Isane brought a particularly vicious slash down on him with an angry scream, "Shut up! I don't want to hear my Captain's name from your filthy mouth you monster!"

"Ah yes." Mayuri mused as he added his left hand to his sword, adapting his defense to Isane's fury. "Dead for nearly a year now and still you cling to her memory like a petulant child. It stunts you!" The air left Isane's body in a rush as Mayuri dug the hilt of his sword into her stomach with both arms. Her jaw slammed shut with a painful crack as she was lifted off her feet by the force of his hilt ramming under her chin.

Isane barely opened her eyes in time. She fired her hips, shooting to her feet, disappearing in a blur just as enormous blades skewered the ground around her. Konjiki Ashiogi Jizo did not let up its attack. A stunted chubby arm raced towards Isane, ready to crush the life from her, but she danced out of its reach. Her eyes widened in surprise, a thin blade erupted from its palm and raced towards her, ready to skewer her in place.

She braced her blade with both arms, her left hand secured behind the tip, her right clutched the hilt tightly.

The impact lifted her clean off her feet and shot her like a projectile towards the unyielding stone wall behind her. Isane grunted with the effort of exerting her spiritual pressure on the air around her, just barely managing to slow down enough to avoid a fatal impact. Her vision blurred as her head pounded. Dozens of bones and muscles screamed in agony as Isane's feet hit the ground. She managed to catch herself on her palms, and she heaved in breath as sweat stung her eyes.

"Still conscious are you?" He asked. "Excellent. It rapidly becomes boring when the specimens black out."

"Don't play with me." She begged. "If you're going to kill me just…!" Her plea was cut off with a violent gag. She heaved and wretched violently as blood erupted from her mouth to puddle beneath her. She continued to cough as panic gripped her anew. The skin on her cheeks burned as lesions rose, blackened with puss and rot.

"_When I do poison you, I promise you'll know it!" _

Kurotsuchi was right.

"I was beginning to wonder when the symptoms would manifest. It was a clever idea using kido in an attempt to diffuse the poison in the air child. Unfortunately for you, even one part in ten thousand is a lethal dose." She heard the scrape of metal against wood as Kurotsuchi sheathed his blade. "In answer to your query. I find it much more satisfying to watch my victims choke to death on their own blood, than to simply stab them in the heart."

"Monster." She accused again before another bout of coughing took over.

"Unohana certainly shared the opinion. Tell me girl, is there a single thought in your head that woman didn't place there?" He folded his arms inside the sleeves of his haori. "I always wondered how Unohana managed to completely subjugate you without any of the…negative reinforcements I'm forced to implement with Nemu."

Her eyes flashed with fury as her head shot up to look at him, "Captain Unohana never forced anything on me."

"And yet here you are, drowning in your own blood because you continue to let that woman hold you back. Even now you're still waiting for her to suddenly appear and rescue you." His eyes narrowed, and his body tensed. " In all of his wisdom, Yamamoto decreed that I was best suited to guide you to Bankai. The worst part was that he was correct!" He roared.

"I could scarcely believe my eyes. At first I was infuriated that Yamamoto would waste my time on you. Bankai seemed as impossible for you as it is for any average unseated Shinigami. Our first session proved my hypothesis wrong!"

Isane couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Kurotsuchi actually saying he believed her capable of Bankai?

"I've been forced to watch for months. Watch as you continually rushed towards the pinnacle of your powers, only to stutter and fall back at the precipice!" He started towards her, his arms still locked inside his robes. His gait wasn't aggressive but slow and methodical, "I poured over mountains of data, spent hundreds of hours refining your treatments, and trained you to overcome the limits in your combat skills. Yet despite all of my best efforts, you continued to sabotage yourself."

Isane's breathing was raspy. Blood trickled steadily down her chin as angry black lines continued to spread over her face, down her neck, into her hairline. Her mind started to slip, losing focus as her vision continued to blur. His words were becoming harder and harder to follow.

He stopped out of arms reach, and looked down on her, suddenly his voice was softer. She almost believed there was a trace of pity in his tone, but mostly disappointment. "For all these months I endured the frustration of failure. I honestly believed I invested too much time in you to simply give up on this experiment. You've finally changed my opinion. Isane Kotetsu, your body is perfectly capable of Bankai, only your mind is holding you back.

With great effort, Isane pushed her hands off the floor and straightened her back. Itegumo still clutched limply in her sword hand. She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused by the pain, and tinted red by the blood that finally started leaking from them.

"If Yamamoto hadn't placed certain…restrictions on my authority over you, I could have solved that problem with enough time." He continued, "As it is, as long as you live, Yamamoto will not allow me to cancel your training, nor will he allow me to modify you to complete it. This is the only course left to me. Unohana was truly foolish to let you become so helplessly dependent on her."

A small light had flared into life deep in her belly the moment she realized he had poisoned her. It was barely a flicker at first, but as he advanced on her and continued his tirade it slowly grew, first into a candle, then into a small torch. It continued to grow with every step he took and every word that fell from his hideous lips. It was a strange feeling. It wasn't warm at all, quite the contrary. As it grew and spread, a freezing chill spread through her, standing every nerve, every last part of her on edge. Not the touch of death claiming her as Isane first thought, everything slid into sharper focus. Every muscle and bone took in the cold and stood at eager attention, rejuvenated.

"_Let me go Isane."_ A breeze whispered in her mind. _"You've held me back for so long. Please… let me go." _It repeated the request.

Isane knew what it was. It was a part of her she struggled with ever since she became a Shinigami.

"Yes." Mayuri started. "Unohana was a damn fool." Mayuri sighed as he turned his back.

The air sang with the speed of the strike. Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in disbelief as a gasp broke the silence of the room. Blood splattered violently on the floor.

"I told you." She growled, teeth scraping together in fury and pain. "I told you not to let her name come from your filthy mouth!" Another horrible pain filled gasp, the sound of flesh and cloth tearing followed quickly by the familiar spatter of copious amounts of blood across the floor.

Kurotsuchi turned again, his eyes narrowing when he saw the blood that coated all three of her blades. Her robes were torn and discolored around her stomach, a steady pool of dark crimson grew angrily beneath her.

"Breathe Itegumo." She intoned.

Mayuri's eyes widened, and he retreated in a swift leap backward as the temperature dropped. Isane rose on trembling feet, drawing a lazy circle in front of her with her Zanpakto, frost rolling off the blades and sinking to the ground where it quickly began to coalesce in a writhing mass of cold air.

All of the lesions and blackened blood vessels that dotted her face began to shift in color. The black slowly seeped away, replaced by a deep azure. She exhaled, her breath visible as it too sank slowly to the floor tinged with purple. Similar frost leaked from her eyes, her ears, her bleeding stomach, and began to roll off her shoulders, expelling all of Mayuri's poison with it, and at the same time halting the flow of blood from her wounds.

He suddenly grinned and displayed his top row of teeth, "My, my." He mused. "How interesting."

Her eyes were as sharp and unyielding as the pervasive cold that was quickly engulfing the chamber. Her lips were set in a tight frown, and her eyebrows arched fiercely as Itegumo hung limp at her side, still expelling a steady stream of frost from its blades.

"You've never displayed this power before girl. How uncouth, keeping it from me." Mayuri sneered.

"Violence and killing always sickened me." She started in clipped short tones. "I entered the Shinigami academy with only one destination in mind, Squad 4. I wanted so badly with every part of me to be a healer, to take away the pain and suffering of others. Can you even begin to imagine how horrified I was when I first called Itegumo forth?"

"Whatever was the problem? Elemental Zanpakto are rare specimens indeed. Not what you were hoping for?" He asked with a leer.

Her eyes shifted slightly, unable to look at his amused face, she didn't know why she was telling him this. "Captain Unohana's Minatzuki was amazing. The first time I laid eyes on it, I knew I wanted a sword like it. A blade that healed."

She returned her stare to Kurotsuchi, "She whispers to me, gentle caresses like the wind, pleading and begging for me to indulge her. At First it was only during battle, in the back of my mind, insistent and unyielding. Then it started whenever I became annoyed or irritated, frightened or anxious."

"Finally it got so bad that I could hear her all day long, and it only got worse when she started coming to me in my dreams."

Isane let out a deep sigh, her breath still visibly chilled, "The worst part was she never demanded anything of me. It was like she was crying, as if she couldn't understand why I rejected her. I felt so guilty, like I was slowing killing her, and a little bit of me was dying with her."

She couldn't tell what was running through Kurotsuchi's mind. The smile had long run its course and his teeth were hidden behind his lips again. His eyes were impassive, as if he were indulging a small child crying over a broken toy. There was no warmth in his gaze, only morbid curiosity.

"I desperately wanted to set her free, to stop her tears. Her pain was eating away at me, but I was weak, and I was afraid of what she would do." Isane flicked her wrist, the air surged, whistling in its ferocity as freezing gusts tossed Mayuri's robes violently and rose bumps along his flesh. His breathing remained even though, and his stance never wavered. The cold air that steadily passed through his lips the only sign he was affected.

"Can you hear her Captain Kurotsuchi?" Isane asked with a wistful smile on her face as she closed her eyes and let her head fall back slightly. "She's so happy right now, she's singing." She opened her eyes slowly and her smile shifted.

Mayuri's gaze narrowed, the twist of her lips, the fierce look in her eyes, it seemed almost…predatory. She had never displayed the behavior before.

"Captain Unohana saved me from madness. She calmed my Zanpakto and taught me how to gently quiet her. I was able to focus on my healing studies, and Itegumo was blissfully silent." Isane continued.

Mayuri picked up, "Foolish girl. You should have never allowed it. Suppressing your Zanpakto in such a manner can only retard your growth and progress, not to mention damage your soul."

"Captain Unohana felt the same way." Isane reminisced. "She encouraged me to embrace my power and love it. I could never do it though. It ran contrary to everything I was, everything I wanted to be."

Her features sharpened, "No matter how much I hated fighting and killing, it didn't change what Itegumo was. She only has one purpose, one passion."

"Itegumo means 'Frozen Cloud'." She continued as the temperature of the room continued to drop. Mayuri estimated it was at least negative twenty-two degrees Celsius.

She lifted her sword arm, turning her wrist to present the flat portions of Itegumo in front of her face. "She's a killer." Her voice was darker and more malicious than Mayuri ever thought her capable of.

"She exists only to freeze the blood in your veins, and the breath in your lungs." She hissed.

&

Wow, awesome.

Sorry to stop there but for now I think it's the best place to break or I would be writing a lot more and delaying this release.

I hope I'm able to update again soon, but I have an LSAT coming up to study for and other shyte so be patient, I promise not to disappoint!

Isane isn't insane. She doesn't hear the voices of her bad uncles that tell her to burn buildings. Its Itegumo that talks to her. Itegumo talks to her just, just in a different way than we've seen other Zanpakto spirits communicate.

"Breathe Itegumo" Wasn't a release command; it was an ability command like Rukia, Urahara, or Tosen use. When she uses this command the blades quickly drop to below zero temperatures, and give off a frozen mist that rapidly cools the air around her. A pre cursor to attacks you may or may not see next chapter!

I also know that Mayuri's Bankai hasn't been shown with the ability to extend blades from its palms, it's a liberty I took. In my mind if he can modify it to self-destruct it should be child's play to let it utilize blades from various body parts.

Please click the button, even if only for constructive criticism. I'd love to hear how I could make this story better and more enjoyable!

Until next time.


	4. One last Gift to Give

Hi guys! Here's chapter 4! I hope you all enjoy it.

To my reviewers:

Thank you all for your support and comments. In a mixed blessing there are now too many of you for me to comfortably answer one at a time, so I'll try to answer some of your questions generally, and from now on will respond to reviews and questions individually through the messaging service.

It's a difficult question to answer whether I'm trying to portray Isane herself as bloodthirsty. Itegumo's spirit is in a way, a part of Isane, but her bloodlust isn't really Isane's. The same way that Ikkaku's Zanpakto is lazy while he isn't, and Ichigo's is wise and experienced while he isn't, Itegumo is kind of an opposite to Isane. A part of her she struggles to reconcile with.

One of the few things we know definitively about Isane is her love and loyalty for Unohana, so I'm glad so many of you saw that in my writing, as I'm glad that some of you are seeing her grow as a believable character.

Hey, we all know Mayuri is a little insane and obsessive. So I'm glad some of you enjoyed that depiction. He was surprised by Isane's potential, then took it personally when he failed to push her to Bankai, that's why he's so royally pissed about all the time he's spent on her "experiment" I hope that I continue to live up to his character, as he truly deserves my best efforts.

Without further ado, please enjoy chapter 4

Chapter 4: One Last Gift to Give

&

"Itegumo means 'Frozen Cloud'." _She continued as the temperature of the room plummeted swiftly. Mayuri estimated it was at least negative twenty-two degrees Celsius. _

_She lifted her sword arm, turning her wrist to present the flat portions of Itegumo in front of her face._ "She's a killer." _Her voice was darker and more malicious than Mayuri ever thought her capable of. _

"She exists only to freeze the blood in your veins, and the breath in your lungs." _She hissed._

&

Isane's spiritual pressure erupted, a tornado of freezing air and mist whirled angrily around her knees. A single powerful leap catapulted her towards Kurotsuchi with a fierce yell, drowned out by the roar of the wind.

Her thrust presented all three of Itegumo's blades parallel to the ground, attacking over the widest possible area, but Kurotsuchi's reflexes were sharp. With a deft twist of his hips he avoided her lunge, letting her pass harmlessly by him as he drew his blade.

Isane was a blur of moment, the second her first foot touched down she was spinning. Her slash started at her feet, rising diagonally across her body. The mist answered her command, a crescent blade of frozen air raged toward Kurotsuchi with murderous intent.

A purple haze surrounded Kurotsuchi as he exerted his spiritual pressure. A deft horizontal slash of his sword caught and dispelled Isane's attack. The wind continued to howl, drowning out the angry clash of steel as Mayuri parried Isane's following charge.

Her lips were curled back over violently clenched teeth; her eyebrows arched daggers, her eyes freezing death. He held her gaze without flinching, an unmovable rock under the withering storm of her surging spiritual pressure.

"That can't possibly be all can it? Show me everything." He didn't shout, didn't even raise his voice, but somehow his amused drawl pierced the rushing wind. Isane's scowl grew; her spiritual pressure soared even higher as she let out an infuriated scream.

Mayuri just grinned.

Their blades disengaged, and Isane reared back for another strike but Mayuri disappeared in a flash step. Konjiki Ashiogi Jizo rushed forward in his place, its blades prepared to dice Isane into pieces.

Mayuri's Bankai was persistent, and Isane was forced to retreat, barely able to stay ahead of the dancing swords. She finally cleared some distance with a flash step; the creature opened its mouth in response. "That won't work again." Isane promised as she gripped Itegumo with both hands, the sword glowing white from tip to hilt.

The beast paid her no mind, and spat forward its gas, clouding the air. Two slashes, too slow and methodical for swordplay, almost as if she were fanning the air instead of cutting her enemy. The end result was far more deadly. The frozen mist that continued to coil around her legs kicked forward, whirling and gaining size rapidly.

By the time the tornado struck, it had gathered all of the poison mist within the funnel. Konjiki Ashiogi Jizo was lifted, and then thrown backwards. It crashed into the nearest wall head first, and fell limp, leaving its underside exposed. Her feet sank slightly into its soft flesh as she completed her flash step, landing behind its swords.

She nearly heaved in revulsion and fought the instinct to cover her ears as her Zanpakto sank into its flesh. Its pained shriek shook her to the core, and the dark colored puss that began to seep around the wound smelled of rotting flesh and refuse.

"_Wonderful…"_ Itegumo's voice was a breathy whisper at the back of her mind. _"So much blood in this creature." _

"You don't have to smell it." Isane muttered in disgust, but pushed her sword deeper, sinking to one knee as the creature began to flail and scream. The flesh slowly gave way, as if Isane was pushing through a viscous liquid until Itegumo was buried to the hilt.

"_There, it's done."_ A content sigh.

Isane tensed as she prepared to move, but his voiced halted her. "That wouldn't be wise girl." She looked over her shoulder; he was standing several yards away. His arms were limp at his side, his sword in his right hand. "Konjiki Ashiogi Jizo's blood is highly pressurized. If you dislodge your sword you'll be instantly doused by a highly potent organic acid." He paused a moment. "The damage would be…conspicuous."

"_Harder to cover up then." _Isane mused silently to herself. "I'll take my chances." Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed.

She spun to her feet facing Kurotsuchi, dragging her sword behind her opening a harsh wound in her wake, causing a new series of shrieks from the creature. The blade cleared with a flourish, Isane's left hand secured around Itegumo's sheath, her right extended at the shoulder arching away from her.

Significant amounts of dark liquid were kicked into the air with the strike, shooting a few yards in a smooth crescent ark around Isane's feet along the wound. However it was not the torrential explosion that Kurotsuchi described, and not a drop of liquid touched Isane. "Fascinating." Kurotsuchi was enthralled as the blood slowed until it hung suspended.

Isane let her sword arm fall gently to her side, her expression serious but strained. It was almost as if she was fighting back a smile.

Itegumo was in pure rapture, and it was becoming harder and harder to resist her enthusiasm. Isane found herself wanting more, and it was difficult to think of a reason to deny the urges.

"Hmm?" Mayuri pondered as the blood began to slowly wind and coil, separating into several lines like ribbons blowing in the wind. Isane's frost aura kicked up again, coiling lovingly around her knees, as mist once again began to fall from Itegumo's blades. Several of the dark lines were draw into her aura; others twined themselves around her sword.

"Your Bankai is finished." She announced, a whimsical lilt to her tone.

"Tch." He scoffed with disdain. "Don't be ridiculous."

She couldn't hold back the smile anymore.

It started with a faint crinkle. At the tip of her sword the black blood shifted, changing in color as it shrunk down in size. A white diamond as narrow as a finger reflected the light, a small beacon. The crinkle grew in volume as it spread. Dozens of glistening shapes danced around her blades, and then around her feet.

"Itegumo's power is more…subtle than say, Captain Hitsugaya's Hyourinmaru or Rukia Kuchiki's Sode no Shirayuki." Isane explained.

A dull roar like a distant waterfall grew steadily. "She can't use her spiritual pressure to create ice directly, which is why I was only able to attack with her freezing winds…at first."

Kurotsuchi's Bankai slowed in its movements, its struggles dying down. "But she is an Ice elemental Zanpakto, not a wind elemental. So even though she can't create ice out of nothing, what do you think happens when she has a source of water?"

It ceased moving altogether, the dull roar now a rising cacophony. "For example." Isane continued. "A storm cloud, a lake, a stream…"

Realization dawned upon Kurotsuchi, his brow lifted as an excitement tore through him.

"Or even." Isane's eyes narrowed. "Blood." It spread in the blink of an eye, a rapid crystallization that discolored flesh as the creature was frozen from within. Parts of its body contorted before spears of ice broke through and pushed feet into the air. Finally, its mass simply shattered, crumbling into thousands of fist sized shards of frozen flesh.

Kurotsuchi was positively trembling. Not from the extreme cold, not from fear. Isane's eyebrows lifted in absolute astonishment.

Kurotsuchi was laughing.

It wasn't diabolical, maniacal, or crazed. It was slow and even, rolling off of him in steady waves as his shoulders shook. "Absolutely magnificent!" He breathed.

Isane was completely taken aback.

"What a wonderful expression." Kurotsuchi commented.

She tilted her head in absolute confusion. She had completely annihilated his Bankai with one stroke of her Zanpakto. He should've at least been taken aback, given pause, grown nervous, or angry. The last thing she expected was this…glee she observed in his features and body language. He was nearly giddy.

"Oh don't stop. Show me more." He demanded of her. "Aren't you going to kill me for insulting that corpse you call your Captain?"

Her hands went white with the strain, and her arms shook.

"Claw Out, Ashiogi Jizo." His blade shifted, twisting and changing color until a deformed golden trident sat atop his hilt. "You'll show me everything girl, either in this room, or in a cell at the Bureau of Research and Development. Choose quickly!" In a blur of moment his blade was coming down on her.

Her parry was true, but her footing was not. Her legs buckled under her, lacking purchase on the shattered remains of his Bankai. Her face contorted in pain as her abused stomach flexed, stretching the lacerations she herself inflicted.

"Pay attention!" He chided her as his kick lifted her back on her feet, her breath leaving in a rush as her wounds screamed anew.

She stepped into a thrust, six blades locked together as Mayuri countered. Isane's eyes narrowed as she focused her spiritual pressure. A gust of freezing wind connected with Mayuri's face at point blank range, carrying freezing debris with it.

He grunted as he lifted his left arm to shield his eyes. Isane seized the opportunity, twisting Itegumo with all of her strength she drove forward intent on skewering Mayuri through the gaps between his own blades.

He had the presence of mind to dodge, but an angry line opened on his left leg where Itegumo drew a narrow cut.

Mayuri jumped backwards to clear the lock. Isane's right foot snapped into a crescent kick, three knife sized shards of ice jumped at her command, burying themselves viscously into his torso.

She couldn't help but feel satisfied when he finally let out a clipped yelp of pain. She allowed him no pause, swinging Itegumo in wide arcs casting dozens of razor sharp sheets of ice on freezing wind.

He was certainly proving his skill with flash steps. Even on a wounded leg he avoided every attack, but he was certainly no longer amused. Blood ran down his face and over his eyes from countless small lacerations, bitten by shards of ice no larger than snowflakes with her first strike. His left leg was obviously numb, frost poured visibly from the cut she inflicted.

Unfortunately for Isane, the battle had left marks on her as well. Itegumo had dispelled Mayuri's poison and halted her bleeding, but she had sustained significant damage. Rage and adrenaline allowed her to ignore the pain for a while, but damaged organs and ruptured blood vessels were making their presence known with every swing of her arms.

She was winding down fast, and Kurotsuchi knew it. His own injuries were relatively minor, and he hadn't even taxed his spiritual pressure. While it appeared he was on the defensive, the truth was he was a vulture circling his next meal.

Finally Isane sank to one knee, leaning on her Zanpakto's hilt to help sustain her weight. She was panting, sweat was rolling freely down her face, and her spiritual pressure began to flicker and wane.

"_Not yet Isane."_ Itegumo begged. _"Don't give up yet, we can kill him I promise!" _

"Finally. That was growing tedious." Mayuri complained as he pulled the last shard from his chest. He glanced down at his left leg as he tried to move it. "An interesting ability. In addition to generating freezing winds, your Zanpakto's spiritual pressure allows it to draw water from any source, even compound liquids like blood. Additionally it absorbs the water's kinetic energy in proportion to its surface area and time on target."

He paused for breath, "In laymen's terms the deeper your sword cuts and the longer it has contact with its victim, the faster it freezes them solid from the inside out."

Isane still did not have her breath back, so she settled on staring at him with the most murderous expression she could muster.

"When you demonstrated the power on my Bankai I was hoping you had other powers as well." He sighed. "However you merely were able to utilize frozen projectiles with your earlier wind attacks, not terribly impressive. It seems you've reached your limit." He regarded her silently for a moment, running through data in his mind. "Unfortunately, you still haven't convinced me to spare your life."

Isane's stare hardened even more, her nails dug into her palms piercing skin as she labored harder to catch her breath. "Is that what this was? An experiment? Just a test to see if I'm worth keeping alive?"

"You sound so surprised." He observed. "Don't be daft girl. Did you truly entertain the notion for even a moment that you could defeat me?"

She didn't answer.

"Tch." He spat. "No matter what new abilities you may surprise me with child, they are still of your spiritual pressure, something I've studied with great detail. You'll never be able to deal sufficient damage to defeat me."

"Yet there you stand with a mangled face and a frozen leg!" She spat furiously.

"Superficial." He assured her in a bored tone, his left had bobbing up and down.

She growled with frustration as she strained her wounded and tired body, forcing herself to her feet. "I may not be able to defeat you Kurotsuchi, but I swear." She secured Itegumo in both hands, adopting a traditional kendo stance. "Before the last breath leaves my body, at the very least, I'm going to give you a wound you will NEVER forget."

Her irises began to glow softly as her spiritual pressure surged again surrounding her in a white aura.

"Pointless." Mayuri began exerting his own spiritual pressure, literally pulling the air around him to the ground under its weight. Isane didn't falter.

"_It won't be a wound. I'm going to grant this monster a death blow" _Isane could almost feel Itegumo's smile. _"Be strong Isane, I can't hold back your bleeding any longer."_

Isane sucked in a deep breath as her stomach flared in fresh pain.

"_Now, strike now!" _

Isane answered Itegumo's call, sprinting forward with all the speed her tired and worn body could muster. A small part of her cheered with glee as Mayuri rushed forward to meet her. This wasn't another of his games. He was completely serious, and he wasn't taking her lightly.

Isane exhaled into a long and fierce cry as they rapidly closed distance, Itegumo held high over her right shoulder.

Mayuri was silent until he began his slash with a fierce, "Kyah!"

Their spiritual pressure exploded with the ferocity of the attack, pushing the air away from them with a powerful shock wave. Their blades remained locked for an impossible moment of eternity as their spiritual pressure clashed for supremacy.

It was such a small shift that decided the contest, the tiniest crack that opened in Isane's spiritual pressure that proved her downfall.

Her sword shattered.

She gasped.

Her head tilted to look down in small jerks as her body was wracked with spasms. His Zanpakto was buried in the right side of her chest next to her sternum. Even the tips of the two smaller blades had penetrated.

Captain Unohana's face flashed before her eyes, downtrodden and sad. _"I'm sorry Captain." _ She cried to herself

"Such a waste." Mayuri lamented. "So much time, so much potential, gone. What a fool you've been."

Her left arm slowly rose, trembling, the poison was spreading fast. She managed to fist the hand in his robes just below the shoulder as her knees buckled forward, refusing to fall further onto his sword.

Her eyes were glossy and her breath ragged, but she refused to succumb to the blackness edging her vision. She still had one last promise to fulfill. Blood began to dribble from her lips as she parted them, "I have one last gift to give you Captain Kurotsuchi."

"Oh?" He asked.

Fighting through agonizing pain she lifted her face to meet his amber eyes, "When Itegumo shattered, you breathed her in."

It was a rare feeling, the sheer panic that gripped him. His eyes widened comically as his whole body tensed pushing Isane off his Zanpakto. He knew intellectually that it was already too late, pointless to run, but logic escaped him in this rare moment of helplessness.

He turned and made it two steps, Isane hadn't even hit the ground yet when she whispered, a content smile on her face, her eyes closed. "Condense, Itegumo."

Mayuri's scream was cut short as his chest instantly expanded beyond all possible natural proportions, his lungs literally exploded from within by solidifying ice. He fell first to his knees with a hard thud, then forward onto his face.

&

A little shorter than the last chapter, but I think no less intense.

What do you think?

Please click the button to let me know!


	5. Captain's Meeting

&

Hi guys! Thank you for reading and reviewing. Seems some of you were in absolute awe of the last chapter. It was kind of intense!

Chapter 5: Captain's Meeting. 

&

The nine remaining Gotei 13 captains were arrayed in parade formation. The Captain-Commander assumed his traditional position, seated at the head of the chamber.

Soi Fong began the line at his far left, the bandages that dotted her cheeks and neck subtracted nothing from her intense stare.

Byakuya Kuchiki was at her side, eyes closed, and his face a mask of regal serenity.

Saijin Komamura towered over both of them, his bulky frame easily encompassed enough space for two captains. His fierce bestial visage was tempered somewhat by the thick gauze that encircled the left side of his face from the eye to scalp. His head had been partially shaved to accommodate the injury.

Several Captains were still occasionally taken aback when they laid eyes on Shunsui Kyoraku. He had long fallen out of the habit of wearing his festive haori and straw hat. The loss of Unohana had hardened his spirit to a degree. He still managed his lazy smile as he folded his hands inside his sleeves.

Toushiro Hitsugaya's diminutive stature was beguiled by his hardened expression. A small ponytail of shocked white hair jutted out from the base of his neck. He likely was finding it hard to pay much attention to grooming. He had assumed formal command of Squad 5 in addition to his own Squad 10, during the opening months of the conflict. The added strain had added lines to his unnaturally young face.

Zaraki Kenpachi wore an expression of bored disinterest. His arms were crossed in front of his stomach, vacating the sleeves of his robes.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi's deep azure hair was unusually styled, and an odd golden headpiece framed his face. His skin was patterned black and white, a unique substance that assisted his interface with assorted biological modifications.

Ending the line was Jyushiro Ukitake. His skin was pale, an unhealthy sheen of sweat enhanced the dark circles under his eyes. The war had been especially harsh on him, forcing him to exert himself far more than was healthy. He was finding sufficient rest impossible to come by.

"Let us begin." The Captain-Commander's voice was grave and serious.

Unless Mayuri was required to make a presentation or otherwise expected to be directly involved with the meeting he did his best to tune his colleagues out. Focusing on his next experiment, analyzing important data, receiving information from various devices through his headpiece.

However on this occasion he was paying avid attention. The captains had gathered to discuss something of great personal interest to him.

"Our situation is growing increasingly dire." Yamamoto continued. "Our combat strength is being stripped from us at an unsustainable rate. While we have thankfully lost few from the ranks of our elite, the top five seated officers of our squads, our unseated and lower seated Shinigami are falling in scores."

"Even the weakest of the Numeros possess significant power." Hitsugaya commented. "Ten or twenty unseated Shinigami are simply no match for them."

"Their tactics are a problem as well." Soi Fong cut in. "The Numeros strike when and where they have the advantage, causing as much damage as they can before any response can be mustered."

"Damn cowards." Zaraki muttered. "I haven't had the chance to cut something in months, they run from every fight!"

"If we continue sustaining casualties at this rate it will become practically impossible to maintain our standing positions in the world of the living." Komamura's voice was deep and rich in its inflections. "Squads Seven and Nine are already stretched to the breaking point. Not only are we forced to deal with massive hollow activity, Aizen's forces ambush us with impunity."

"How long are we planning on standing around wasting time reiterating what we already know?" Several gazes narrowed at Kurotsuchi's sharp interruption, but he pressed on, completely unaffected by his colleague's animosity. "The question at hand is how we will correct the situation."

"Indeed." Yamamoto agreed. "Since the Shinigami academy is simply incapable of replacing our losses, our only other option is to increase the combat strength and fighting efficiency of our remaining forces."

"Then you've decided to re examine my proposals?" There was an excited gleam in Kurotsuchi's eyes as his lips widened into a grin.

"Keep dreaming Kurotsuchi." Zaraki snorted. "I'd die before I let you loose on my men."

Yamamoto's cane came down hard on the wooden floor, cutting off the retort that nearly escaped Mayuri. "Your…enthusiasm is appreciated Captain Kurotsuchi, but Captain Zaraki is quite right. I will never allow you to surgically modify any Shinigami."

"Pity." Mayuri knew not to press the issue any further.

"So far as increasing our efficiency. Are there any suggestions?" Yamamoto asked.

"We find ourselves at a distinct disadvantage because of the sheer size of the territory we are currently defending." Byakuya Kuchiki spoke for the first time. "As distasteful as it is…perhaps it is time to pull back from the world of the living, and concentrate on a counter offensive."

"The Hollow population would skyrocket, we'd be leaving thousands vulnerable to slaughter." Komamura protested.

"What choice do we have?" Soi Fong turned to Komamura. "If we continue on as we are now, the Captains will be all that's left of the Gotei 13 in a matter of months."

"What about the lieutenants?" Hitsugaya asked. "Their Bankai training not only requires that they withdraw from the front at regular intervals, but demands our time and attention as well. Have they made sufficient progress to be worth that lost time and manpower?"

"_Finally, the heart of the matter."_ Kurotsuchi mused.

Hitsugaya continued. "At the time I agreed that Bankai training for the Lieutenants was a sound plan, the extra fighting strength that even one additional Bankai would grant us would be a decided advantage. However its been three months, surely we should all know by now which of them have any hope of completing the training."

"So." Kyoraku drawled. "We pull the Lieutenants that are furthest from achieving Bankai from their training, freeing them and their supervising Captains for full time deployment. I like it."

"We would still lack the mobility to launch any such offensives." Captain Kuchiki argued. "I am in support of discontinuing training for some of the Lieutenants, but I still believe we must take control of the pace of this war. As it stands we only react to Aizen, we must put him on the defensive."

Komamura and Ukitake looked as if they wanted to argue the point, but Yamamoto interceded. "I have heard the arguments. I shall poll the Captains, let us see if any of our Lieutenants are close to Bankai. I shall begin, by discontinuing Chojiro Sasakibe's training. He is not ready. Captain Soi Fong?"

Soi Fong stiffened to attention, "While I admit that Omaeda has surprised me with his progress, he is currently incapable of Bankai. I would discontinue his training."

Byakuya stepped in within prompt, "I find myself…frustrated by Lieutenant Kusajishi."

Zaraki laughed out loud.

Byakuya did not give him the satisfaction of a reaction, but continued his report, "I believe that her power is sufficient for Bankai, but her lack of discipline and…immature mentality precludes her at this time. I would discontinue her training."

"I trust you have no objection Captain Zaraki?" Yamamoto asked.

"As much as I would love letting Yachiru finish driving Kuchiki up a wall," Kuchiki's eyebrows narrowed, almost imperceptibly, "I'd much rather have her back on the battlefield."

"Very well. Captain Komamura?"

"Iba is not ready. I'm optimistic about Hisagi though."

"Captain Kyoraku?"

"As much as it pains me to admit it. I don't believe Nanao will ever be capable of Bankai. Lieutenant Hinamori is much more difficult to comment on." Hitsugaya's stance stiffened. "From what I've seen, I do think that Bankai is possible for her. However she is still haunted by Aizen's betrayal. She isn't of the right mind for Bankai. She may never be of the right mind again." At this he cast a sympathetic look to Hitsugaya. "I'd recommend re-deploying both of them."

"Captain Hitsugaya?"

Toshiro snapped his gaze back to Yamamoto, momentarily lost in his thoughts. "Forgive me. Both Matsumoto and Kira continue to make excellent progress. While I offer no guarantees, I do believe that with continued training they will be successful."

"Excellent news." Yamamoto remarked. He turned his stare to Kurotsuchi, and in a rare display of seriousness opened his eyes. "What say you, Captain Kurotsuchi?"

"As I've reported several times." Mayuri began with an irritated clip to his tone. "Nemu was never intended to be capable of Bankai. Her training was a waste of time from the very beginning. Without extensive modifications that would not only tax limited resources and man power, but threaten her functionality,"

"You mean give her free will."

Kurotsuchi threw a nasty glance down the line to a grinning Kyoraku, "Nemu is perfectly capable of independent thought. She is merely unable to disobey my orders, a prerequisite for any competent Lieutenant." Kurotsuchi returned his gaze to Yamamoto. "In short, I would discontinue Nemu's 'training'."

Yamamoto considered for a moment, "Very well. You will however, continue to permit her to wear her Zanpakto." His tone left no room for argument.

Kurotsuchi scowled but wisely kept his opinion on the matter to himself.

"What of Lieutenant Kotetsu?"

Mayuri steeled himself. The conversation had the potential to turn decidedly unpleasant.

&

Her eyes fluttered for a moment before slowly blinking open. Her mind was muddled and confused, lost in a haze of jumbled memories and incoherent thoughts. Her vision was blurry, only distorted shapes and a set of dim lights were discernable.

Belatedly she realized the roar thundering through her brain was actually the benign beeping of nearby life support equipment, which helped her fight down the rush of panic when she tried to open her mouth only to gag on the tube that had been fed down her throat.

She lifted a trembling hand to rest on the mask that covered her mouth.

"Removing the mask would be unadvisable at this time Lieutenant Kotetsu."

She blinked blearily until the dark shape slid into better focus. Black hair, emotionless dark eyes, and a pale face almost incapable of expression. _"Nemu."_ The name floated across her mind.

"You recognize me Lieutenant. I am pleased to see your memory seems to be intact." Even though she said she was pleased her inflection had not shifted in the slightest. "I feared that we had not treated you in time to prevent lasting brain damage."

"_Treated?"_ Isane's mind was still playing catch up, attempting to dispel the haze that clouded her memory. Her eyes opened wide in shock as images and feelings started rushing back too quickly for her to process.

&

"_Please." Her head shook slowly, her eyes wide, "Please don't do this Captain Kurotsuchi." _

"_I do hope you manage to have an interesting death girl." He cackled, "After all, I am overdue compensation for my valuable time!" _

"_Don't play with me." She begged. "If you're going to kill me just…!" Her plea was cut off with a violent gag. She heaved and wretched violently as blood erupted from her mouth to puddle beneath her._

&

_Isane's stare hardened even more, her nails dug into her palms piercing skin as she labored harder to catch her breath. "Is that what this was? An experiment? Just a test to see if I'm worth keeping alive?" _

_Her head tilted to look down in small jerks as her body was wracked with spasms. His Zanpakto was buried in the right side of her chest next to her sternum._

&

The panic and desperation of her entire ordeal came rushing back in unison. Monitors began to scream alarms as her heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing began to skyrocket. Her tired and worn body thrashed wildly as she attempted to roll from her bed, desperate to flee.

Nemu had a firm but harmless grip on both of her shoulders. "Please desist in your struggles Lieutenant, you will only exacerbate your condition. I assure you, you are safe from harm."

Isane was not even remotely mollified by Nemu's flat reassurances. She continued to struggle with all of the limited strength she could muster.

Nemu finally gave up trying to calm her. "Akon! Your assistance!"

A few moments later, Isane had slipped back into a sedative induced sleep.

If there was any mercy in the universe she wouldn't remember the nightmares when she woke.

&

Mayuri knew he had to tread very carefully. Isane was Unohana's most treasured pupil, and several of the remaining Captains, especially Ukitake, held her in high regard. It would not be very conducive for Mayuri's health and freedom if his colleagues were to learn what had transpired during their last session.

He could still scarcely believe he had misjudged her and her powers so severely. Even though at the beginning, he fully intended to simply kill her and be done with it. He could not contain the insatiable curiosity she had aroused. Never before had she fought with such intensity…and her Zanpakto was truly fascinating. A rarity even among Ice elemental Zanpakto.

She had nearly succeeded in killing him, but no more than that ridiculous Quincy more than a year earlier.

&

It was a unique feeling, and he was almost regretful that he was still conscious to experience it. His lungs had literally been torn to shreds from within, punctured countless times by expanding blades of ice. His heart was beating furiously, desperate to expel harmful carbon dioxide and distribute vital oxygen throughout his body. With each beat it slowed, poisoned with each circulation of the harmful byproducts of the human body.

The ice was sapping his heat, further interfering with vital functions and shutting down organs and freezing muscles. His brain was quickly shutting down, starved of oxygen. Yet the part of him that was still aware was enjoying an exquisite agony.

The pain only focused him.

While panic and fear had momentarily robbed him of his intellect and judgement, the growing darkness in his vision and the countless blades stabbing his innards to shreds re ignited his powerful survival instincts.

He was Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

He was not ready for death to claim him.

His regenerative serum was currently useless to him. While it was more than capable of restoring the lungs he had lost, there was the unfortunate law of physics that decreed no two objects may occupy the same space at the same time. He still had two baseball-sized shards of ice beneath his ribcage.

That left two other options, but he was fast running out of time to ponder them. His right had twitched, confirming his Zanpakto was still secure in his grip. He could drive the blade through his spinal cord, liquefying his body instantly.

He would be saved, but it would be a temporary respite. The chamber was hermetically sealed, and in his liquid form he would lack the ability to manipulate the exit. He would be stuck for the three days it would require to reconstitute himself. In that time more than one Captain would find themselves unable to open the chamber, sealed until its occupants either opened it from within or died.

When Mayuri did manage to reconstitute himself and open the door, he would have a lot of rather embarrassing questions to answer about Isane's corpse. There was simply no way the girl could last that long with her injuries.

That left Mayuri with only one choice.

"_This will be most unpleasant."_ He pushed off the floor with his left palm with all the strength he could muster, succeeding in flipping him over and sending a fresh wave of agony to cloud his mind. He pushed the pain aside and reached inside his haori, quickly withdrawing a device.

It was cylindrical, tapering off at one end into a long needle. Its tip was decorated by two small concave shaped openings extending from the cylinder, crisscrossed by countless fibers, reminiscent of a gas mask.

Mayuri depressed the button at the tip of the device, two small fans whirred to life. He plunged the needle into his left atrium with all the force he could muster, his eyes bulging with the pain.

The effect was immediate. Precious oxygen, filtered by his device in exactly the same manner as the alveoli of the lungs, was delivered directly to the chamber of his heart responsible for distributing oxygenated blood throughout his body.

The darkness crept away from his eyes, his thinking was becoming clearer as his brain was allowed to breathe. Unfortunately for him the pain only intensified as his involuntary functions tried to kick start his breathing again. He let out horrible choking sounds as his body attempted to draw in air.

He fought to his feet, his body screaming in agony. He continued his hoarse gasping as he sealed and sheathed his blade. His eyes were narrowed with pain and rage as he stumbled to the exit, fresh needles of torment stitched him from within with every step as the ice shards continued to sap him of heat and strength. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his vision with blood and tears. He was no longer in danger of dying from asphyxiation, it was now a race between hypothermia and waste poisoning.

The ice, or the carbon dioxide that was not being expelled from his body.

He made it to the door and unsealed it, pushing it open. Free of the Sekki Sekki stone walls that blocked all spirit particles and other signals, his right hand rose to manipulate his ear piece, a crackle of static erupted in his brain. "Your orders my Captain?" Nemu's familiar monotone asked.

He depressed the button, and let his pitiful attempts at breathing speak for him.

"Understood. Medical assistance is en route." She answered.

Mayuri's gaze narrowed as he activated the device again, shortening his gasps to sound angry and irritated.

"Of course sir, only cleared squad 12 personnel shall be involved. Your confidence shall not be breached."

It was a rare thing for Mayuri Kurotsuchi to be grateful that he created his Lieutenant all those years ago. Of course he would never tell her that.

He sank to his knees and focused on tuning the pain out. He turned his gaze back into the chamber to rest his eyes on Isane's still form. He could see the growing pool of blood beneath her, the hilt of her Zanpakto motionless at her side.

He honestly hoped she would live long enough for assistance to arrive. Explaining this incident away would certainly be difficult, but the risk would be worth it. Death was too good for her after this pain and humiliation she had inflicted upon him.

He would heal her wounds, and the experiment would continue. He would be forced to tread carefully. Many more sets of eyes would be watching him with far greater scrutiny to ensure her safety, but he relished the challenge, thrived on it.

He could think of no punishment more fitting than forcing her to complete this training. Now that he finally understood what buttons to push, he would thoroughly enjoy modifying the parameters of the experiment. She would teach him all of her secrets, whether she was aware of it or not.

Then one day far in the future, after he was certain he had learned everything he could from her. When he was positive that her Bankai had served its purpose and the Soul Society was capable of surviving without it. When his colleagues had finally dropped their guard and let him once again fall from their suspicion. When she had long forgotten the grudge he harbored, and when she least expected it, he would have his final revenge.

Nemu and Akon had arrived with several other assistants. They rushed forward to render Mayuri. He lifted one finger to point to Isane.

Nemu followed his direction, "Understood sir, Lieutenant Kotetsu will not die today."

Mayuri lips' curled back into an amused smile. Nemu likely thought it an act of mercy.

How wrong she was.

&

Mayuri returned his attention to the task at hand. "Lieutenant Kotetsu has demonstrated astounding progress during her last session. I would like to continue her training."

Dead silence.

Eight individual and potent stares were leveled at Kurotsuchi, incredulous and suspicious.

"_An excellent start."_ Kurotsuchi chuckled to himself, vastly pleased at the reaction.

"You've done nothing but bitch about her training since day one." As always Zaraki was blunt and to the point. "What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"Don't make me repeat myself simpleton." Mayuri sneered.

A low growl erupted from Zaraki's throat as he grasped the hilt of his Zanpakto.

"Zaraki!" Kenpachi's lips turned down into a disgusted grimace as he reluctantly let his hand fall away from his blade, heeding Yamamoto's order.

"Explain yourself Kurotsuchi." Yamamoto commanded.

"I've identified several psychological blocks that have thus far stunted Kotetsu's growth." Kurotsuchi explained. "With adjustments to her duties and with several different…stimuli I'm considering, I am confident the child will achieve Bankai."

"And just how is it that after all this time you've managed to suddenly 'identify' these psychological blocks?" Ukitake cut in with a fierce edge to his voice.

Mayuri schooled his expression, refusing to let the frown form. This was not the direction he wanted the conversation to take, but he was hardly surprised by Ukitake's suspicion. After Unohana's death Isane had assumed many of her roles, including the full time care of Ukitake and his illness. He had grown fiercely protective of her, and this wouldn't be the first time it showed.

Mayuri decided to cut as close to the truth as possible without revealing his hand. "The subject was under an extraordinary amount of duress during the last session. Her emotional responses were most enlightening."

"Don't talk about her like that." Ukitake snarled. "She is not your subject. She is not some specimen in an experiment!"

Mayuri could barely contain his smile, Ukitake accepted the bait without hesitation. The man was hopelessly easy to manipulate. "Of course."

"We'll discuss your proposals in regards to Lieutenant Kotetsu's continued training in private Kurotsuchi." Yamamoto decreed.

"As you wish." Mayuri was nearly giddy. This would be far easier than originally anticipated.

"I must protest!" Ukitake shouted. "Lieutenant Kotetsu is not only the acting Captain of Squad 4 but she is the most skilled healer we have left! Her importance to the war effort is second to none! We should all have a say in whatever changes are made to her duty assignments and training parameters."

"I concur." Hitsugaya seconded without hesitation, thoroughly disturbed by Kurotsuchi's mannerisms. Something was amiss, and he was not willing to leave Isane to Kurotsuchi's mercies if he could help it.

"What is it you're implying?" Kurotsuchi let some of his irritation slip through, a natural reaction to the suspicion obviously being leveled to bear against him.

"Don't play coy Kurotsuchi." Ukitake spat. "You'd have already opened her up and removed every organ in her body if Captain-Commander Yamamoto had allowed it. Who knows what tortures you have in mind for her? If you're confident that your new training program is appropriate let us all hear it."

"If that is the Captain-Commander's order, so be it." Kurotsuchi conceded.

"Captain Ukitake." Yamamoto called attention back to himself. "I appreciate your concerns, and you may rest assured I will screen Kurotsuchi's proposals with intense scrutiny. However I will hear them in a private audience."

Ukitake was silent for several moments obviously unwilling to let the issue slide. "Please sir, at the very least concede that you will make no final decisions without consulting Isane herself."

"A reasonable request. I'll send a runner for Lieutenant Kotetsu."

Dread began to settle in Mayuri's stomach. He had lost control, "I'm afraid she is currently unavailable."

"What the hell does that mean?" Ukitake demanded.

Mayuri braced himself for the explosion. "She is currently recuperating at Research and Development."

Mayuri didn't even hear Ukitake's Zanpakto clear his scabbard, the draw was that perfect. The blade was resting under his chin, pressing against his jugular. "What have you done to her?"

&

Hope you guys liked it!

Let me know how you think I can improve the story!


	6. Silent Fear

Important!

There is a poll in my profile with a very important question down the line for this story! The winner of the poll will be heavily featured.

&

Hey guys. Here's chapter 6 a little short, but I hope you enjoy.

Thank you all so much for your continued support. Your reviews and hits are truly heartwarming and I appreciate everyone of them.

As far as a question some of you have raised about Ukitake and Isane…I make no promises, you'll just have to keep reading. :D

Chapter 6: Silent Fear

&

"A reasonable request. I'll send a runner for Lieutenant Kotetsu."

_Dread began to settle in Mayuri's stomach. He had lost control_, "I'm afraid she is currently unavailable."

"What the hell does that mean?" _Ukitake demanded_.

_Mayuri braced himself for the explosion_. "She is currently recuperating at Research and Development."

_Mayuri didn't even hear Ukitake's Zanpakto clear his scabbard, the draw was that perfect. The blade was resting under his chin, pressing against his jugular. _"What have you done to her?"

&

"…Impressive." Mayuri finally admitted after a few seconds of tense silence.

"You'd do well to remember it." Ukitake's voice was steady and strong, a torrent of fury and killing intent. "Now answer."

"What I've done is save her life." Kurotsuchi drawled. "As I reported, this last session was very…stressful for the girl. Without my intervention she would be lost to us right now."

Ukitake was not the least bit reassured, his sword arm shifted slightly as his eyebrows arched severely, "The whole reason we Captains supervise Bankai training is to prevent the kind of injuries that would risk death! Do you expect us to believe that YOU of all people, as cautious and methodical as you are, were unable to protect Isane!?"

Mayuri's attention was focused solely on Ukitake and the blade that was resting menacingly on his throat, but he could easily guess the consensus of the room was firmly behind the irate Captain. Yamamoto had taken no action to reign his pupil back, and none of the others were rushing to his defense. They had broken formation, but only to clear room around the confrontation. Kyoraku and Komamura had placed themselves near the exit, ready to block any escape.

"This is hardly necessary." Kurotsuchi's protest fell on deaf ears, and Sogyo no Kotowari did not move an inch away. He turned his eyes to Yamamoto and realization dawned on him. This was just another of his games. No one in all of the Soul Society loathed Mayuri Kurotsuchi more than Yamamoto. Yet the Captain-Commander was far too pragmatic and realistic to let such emotional responses dictate his actions. He was just letting this situation drag out as a not so subtle reminder of Mayuri's standing, letting him know he had stepped out of line.

Kurotsuchi would only be tolerated as long as his usefulness outweighed his…indiscretions. If the day came where the Captain-Commander felt that Mayuri was more trouble than he was worth, or too unpredictable to control, men like Ukitake or Zaraki would be more than willing to handle him.

If the mood of the room was any indication, if that day ever came Mayuri would find himself with scant few allies.

Kurotsuchi acknowledged Yamamoto's warning with the slightest of nods, ever mindful of the blade at his throat.

"Stand down Captain Ukitake." Yamamoto ordered. "I believe Captain Kurotsuchi understands now what is expected of him in regards to Lieutenant Kotetsu."

Ukitake shot his eyes in Yamamoto's direction, the harsh frown never leaving his features. With great reluctance his Zanpakto fell away from Kurotsuchi's neck, but he did not sheathe it. He knew his Sensei very well, and was able to read between the lines perfectly. However he added one final quiet whisper only loud enough for Kurotsuchi to hear, "You've gone too far this time. There won't be another chance."

Kurotsuchi kept his gaze locked forward, displaying an air of nonchalance.

"Now then. Captain Ukitake what say you about your charges?" Yamamoto asked.

"Sentaro and Kiyone are both eager, but I see no reason to continue their training." Ukitake's tone had not returned to normal as he finally sheathed his sword."

Kurotsuchi remained silent as the Captains returned to formation. The crisis had passed, and he came away with merely with a wound to his pride. His memory was long, and his mind only grew stronger with time. This was only one more insult that would one day be avenged.

"Then let us move on to discuss deployment and strategy."

&

Isane had always been embarrassed to talk to people about her nightmares. Kiyone always laughed and patted her on the shoulder, adding humiliation to the fear. Captain Unohana never teased her though. More often than not, when Isane ventured from her quarters she would find her Captain waiting for her with tea. A comforting presence that melted her fears away until she was calm enough to return to sleep.

Isane never asked how her Captain always seemed to know when she was having trouble sleeping. Sometimes she wondered if Unohana had just as much with nightmares as she did, but that didn't seem likely. Unohana was as unshakable as a mountain in the distance. No matter what storms raged she stood calmly in the center, invulnerable.

Of course she wasn't really invulnerable.

Isane had witnessed first hand, seen the mountain crumble and come crashing down.

Nowadays she counted herself lucky if it was only fish cakes that chased her in her sleep.

She squeezed her eyes shut, the dream refused to fade away into her memory, clawing a trail of pain and agony across her mind. The screaming, the blood that soaked her hands, and worse of all, her face.

Cerulean eyes wide in shock and disbelief, her mouth hung open in a terrible gasp. Small dainty hands closed over the steel blade that rested in her slowing heart. She had fallen forward to her knees, her head bowed forward, and she was forever still.

"I see you're finally awake." Isane opened her eyes, blurry with tears. The voice was deep and kind. She felt no shame when she let the tears finally escape, to roll down her lifted cheeks.

"I'm glad to see you too Isane." Jyushiro Ukitake sank to his knees beside her with a warm smile on his face. "Bad dreams?"

She could only nod, a breathing apparatus still firmly attached over her mouth.

"I spoke with Nemu at length. We'll have you transferred to Squad 4's barracks within a few days. You should be well enough to move soon after that."

Her chest tightened as she frantically shook her head.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as his hands fisted. "I know."

Her right hand lifted and clamped down over his with all the strength she could muster, the tears continued to fall faster and faster.

Rage burned anew within his soul. Every instinct in him was screaming to hunt down Kurotsuchi. To repay every tear and sob a thousand fold. He couldn't begin to fathom how the lunatic could possibly intend this woman harm.

He fought down his anger, bringing a serene smile to his face. He opened his eyes to look at her, his free hand moved to rest on her forehead. His spiritual pressure moved over her in a gentle caress, her eyelids fluttered as she relaxed into his touch, her grip on his hand loosened.

"I am so proud of you." He whispered. "I know you must've been scared."

Her dark irises looked up at him, begging the question.

"After the Captain's meeting, Kurotsuchi made a full disclosure to myself and the Captain-Commander." He explained quietly.

Her relief was visible, every muscle in her shoulders and arms seem to uncoil as if freed from a terrible weight. Her head rolled to face him more fully.

After a few moments, she moved her hand, turning his palm face up. His eyebrows lifted as her index finger began moving. Her body was still exhausted, her muscles stiff and groggy. It certainly wasn't eloquent, but Ukitake could read the symbols she drew easily enough.

"_Kurotsuchi?"_

His shoulders tensed slightly, and he hoped he didn't let his discomfort show on his face. "Good and bad news I'm afraid."

She waited.

A weary breath escaped him. He didn't want to be the one to explain this to her. The Captain-Commander was the one who made the decision, who decided that Kurotsuchi was more important than Isane's trust.

"He was formally reprimanded." Ukitake withdrew his hand from her forehead. He grasped her hand tightly, "However I'm afraid that's as far as it will go. He will not be removed from his command." He braced himself for the worst part. Bile rose in his throat as he finished, "He will continue to supervise your Bankai training."

He nearly winced at the vice grip she applied. Her eyes were wide with panic, and her shoulders began to tremble violently. Nearby equipment began chiming in alarm as her breathing increased, her heart hammering.

"Easy, easy." He soothed her. "Try and stay calm, Isane."

She shook her head back and forth as the alarms continued to rise.

"Isane!" Ukitake grasped both of her shoulders, gently restraining her. She stopped struggling, but her breathing continued to increase as she looked up at him. "Isane." He started again, gentler this time. "I can't tell you it will be easy. I can't promise you that it will be pleasant, but Isane. I am promising you, on my honor, that you have nothing more to fear from Mayuri Kurotsuchi. If you so much as stumble and scrape your knee while he could have stopped it, I'll have his head!"

She was shocked still at the sound of his voice. She had never heard such fierce conviction, such raw hatred in his tone.

He eased his grip on her shoulders, letting her relax once again into her futon as he sat back. "I wish it didn't have to be this way Isane." His voice softened to a whisper as he closed his eyes. Ashamed of his cowardice, but still unable to look at her as he explained himself.

She was enraptured, completely in awe of a side of him she had never experienced before. In all the time she had known him he had never been afraid to look her in the eye and tell her the truth. Yet here he was, avoiding her gaze, like he had failed her somehow.

"In a perfect world we would put Kurotsuchi on trial and then execute him for treason. In a perfect world he would have never been put in charge of your training." He sighed. "In a perfect world Retsu would still be with us."

Pain stilled them both for a moment, lost in their memories.

"The truth we must face is that Kurotsuchi is necessary for the Soul Societies' survival. As despicable as he is, and as much as it kills me to admit it. We need him. Just like we need you." He picked up her hand again, reassuring her with a gentle squeeze. "I share the responsibility as well. All the Captains have looked the other way for Kurotsuchi for too long. That changes starting today."

She looked at him for several long moments before she freed her hand. Again she began drawing on his palm.

"_How…can…you…ask…me…to…keep…working…with…him?"_

"I know we've placed a terrible responsibility on you Isane. We've asked so much of you already, and you've continued to astonish. You've gone above and beyond the call of duty under incredibly stressful circumstances." He paused for breath, allowing him a moment to consider his next words. "If there was any other way. If there was anyone else…" He trailed off.

She understood. As unfair as it was, as insane as it was to ask her to serve under the man who tried to take her life, Soul Society needed her to press forward. The needs of the many far outweighed the needs of the few. She took an oath when she became a Shinigami, and secured it with another promise far more sacred.

She had stood over the grave of her greatest friend, her beloved mentor, and she swore. Her face was wet with incessant tears and her voice shook with violent sobs as she uttered the most important vow of her life.

She refused to let Mayuri Kurotsuchi break her.

"_I…understand." _

He shook his head softly in quiet disbelief. He turned his gaze back to her as he leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. "Retsu would be so proud of you." He murmured.

Tears began rolling down her cheeks anew. It was the highest praise she had ever received.

&

There you have it. My shortest chapter yet, but I think no less fulfilling. I personally think its very powerful for two characters to interact in this way when one of them can't speak. I hope you all found the scene to be as tender and emotional as I do.

I also hope that I handled Kurotsuchi and the Captain's meeting in a believable way. It just seems to me that they can't NOT know about Kurotsuchi's methods and experiments. They must just look the other way since he produces such necessary results. However I am a firm believer that there are lines he simply cannot cross.

He's on notice, and he's very aware that the other Captains are just waiting for him to screw up one more time. I think I set myself a pretty high challenge to continue to write for Mayuri, manipulating his way forward to his goals under such intense scrutiny, I hope I continue to do well.

We'll start to see some appearances from Aizen's side of the fence in the upcoming chapters.

More coming as soon as I can deliver it. It's a busy time for me so no promises.

Thank you all for your continued support,

I relish any thoughts or ideas you all have to continue this great story.

Until next time.


	7. Arrancar Enter

Edited 6/21/08 For minor grammatical and spelling errors I caught, as well as to change the name of Loly's Zanpakto to correct a translation mistake kindly pointed out by AbstractError

&

**Very Very Important! Visit my profile to vote on which Espada Kills Captain Unohana!**

Hey guys! After a very long hiatus I bring you this massive chapter! This is over a third the length of everything I've posted thus far, so I sincerely hope you enjoy it. We've picked up a few new reviewers, and author alerts since the last chapter, and I remain flattered and inspired by your kindness.

The story itself also has over 2000 total hits, which I'm very happy about.

This chapter being a few weeks after the last, Isane has returned to work, and is trying to put the incident behind her. This chapter will also feature a flash back sequence, some fighting, and our first Arrancar.

&

"Lieutenant Kotetsu!" Isane's eyes snapped up from her desk at Hanataro's agitated interruption. "We just received word, Squad twelve is bringing in critically wounded!"

She paused for barely a moment, over two weeks had passed since her life or death battle with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, but she refused to let the rushing memories stop her. She rose from her chair with controlled grace, showing no signs of the grievous injuries she had endured. Her gait was deceptive, moving quickly but calm and collected like a river. Hanataro Yamada in contrast was clearly jogging behind her, desperate to keep pace with her long elegant strides.

"How many wounded?" Her voice betrayed none of the anxiousness that was rising in her chest.

"At least three critical cases, over a dozen in total." Hanataro's reply was clipped in synch with his slightly labored breath.

"Teams eleven, twelve, and fourteen are to respond to the critical cases. Third seat Yaruchika to triage the other patients." Hanataro sharply turned on his ankle to speed down an adjacent corridor to relay the instructions while Isane herself continued to the courtyard. The first of the victims were already being rushed through the doors on stretchers.

Isane breathed a small sigh of relief when she spotted Nemu Kurotsuchi at the head of the formation. "Nemu."

Nemu offered a short bow in greeting with her hands clasped over her thighs. "Lieutenant Kotetsu, I am pleased to see you've fully recovered."

Isane acknowledged the greeting with a warm smile and a nod before turning her eyes over the stretchers that were being lowered to the ground before her. It didn't take long to spot the worst of the injuries, bile rose unconsciously in her throat. "What in the world happened to them?" She breathed out as she sank to her knees besides the first of them, already pooling her spiritual pressure at the tips of her fingers.

"We were engaged by a duo of female Arrancar. I cannot be certain of the exact nature of their powers without detailed analysis, but I believe that one of them was capable of creating a powerful vacuum by wrapping victims in an airtight membrane." Nemu quietly reported.

"How horrible." Isane muttered, in awe of the damage before her. Dozens of blood vessels in the poor man's face had ruptured, and she grimaced when she lifted the bandages that covered his eyes. If he lived, he would never be able to use them again.

By the time she finished her examination several other squad four members had spilled into the courtyard, including Iemura and Hanataro. Three team leaders were standing at her back awaiting her instructions.

She didn't look up from her patient as she spoke, "Massive blood loss and severe trauma to the circulatory system. Your priority is confirming that the brain is receiving enough oxygen to function, after that focus on closing the wounds so we can safely move them."

The team leaders scattered without further prompt, but Hanataro sank to his knees besides Isane to assist. His team 14 quickly moved into action as well, setting up a simple partition before falling into their work.

A cacophony of sounds rose in the courtyard as more wounded were delivered, filling the air with cries of pain and anguish answered by the crisp commands of medical personnel.

"There's a strange energy in these wounds, its blocking my techniques." Hanataro complained as sweat began to build on his forehead.

"The second Arrancar's power." Nemu supplied. "All of our attempts to administer field treatments were unsuccessful."

"Don't try to fight it," Isane instructed "let your spiritual pressure flow around it, like water around a stone." She observed Hanataro for a moment, ensuring he understood how to continue the treatment. "Well done, please continue while I prepare blood supplements."

"Lieutenant Kotetsu," Nemu interrupted, "if you have completed your diagnoses I have been instructed to escort you to Research and Development." Nemu's voice lacked expression, belying the terrible effect her words had.

Isane's whole body went rigid, and she barely managed to extract her spiritual pressure from the patient before it surged violently. Several members of team 14 looked at her, wide eyed, aware as she was that she nearly killed the man at their feet.

She took a quick breath all too aware of her rapidly beating heart, "Keep to the task, pay me no mind." Her startled subordinates heeded her orders without question.

Isane rose to her feet and took Nemu gently by the arm, leading her out of earshot, "Please inform Captain Kurotsuchi that I have wounded that require skill beyond the rest of Squad 4. I am unavailable to confer with him at this time."

Nemu turned to Isane's gaze, "I'm afraid my Captain's instructions were quite explicit. Upon diagnosing and prescribing treatment for the critically wounded you are to report to Research and Development."

"Unacceptable!" It was a hushed whisper, but lost none of the fire in Isane's eyes. "They will die if I do not help them, Captain Kurotsuchi can wait."

"I would be willing to convey the message Lieutenant Kotetsu, but I must advise you that my Captain will not be pleased." Nemu followed Isane's lead, keeping her voice low enough to avoid being overheard.

Isane shook her head softly in quiet disbelief, "How can you say such a thing when it's your subordinates lying here dying? Would you measure Captain Kurotsuchi's good mood against their lives?"

Isane regretted the words even as they left her mouth and her guilt only grew. It was a very rare for something to affect Nemu powerfully enough to provoke a visible response. The aversion of her gaze, the soft closing of her eyes, a small whisper, "He is my Captain."

A deep breath, "I know." Isane assured her. "I'm sorry." Despite all of the hardships that Isane had endured under Kurotsuchi's…tutelage it had only been for three months. Despite the most recent incident and the uncomfortable nature of their relationship Isane had for the most part been protected from Mayuri's more ambitious plans for her. She had strong advocates like Jyushiro Ukitake and Toshiro Hitsugaya looking out for her. Nemu had no one, and she had been subjected to Mayuri's graces for far longer and with no limitations to his cruelty.

Disobeying him, and even worse failing to carry out his instructions, was met with absolutely horrifying retribution.

Isane's stomach went cold at the thought that her refusal would mean Nemu's punishment, but lives were on the line, and she was the only one who could help them. A thought struck her, a belated hope that she could save both of them from Kurotsuchi's fury. "I've only personally diagnosed one of the patients Nemu. Since Captain Kurotsuchi was explicit in his instructions I was to examine all of the critical patients, we would be disobeying his orders if we were to abandon them now."

Nemu's blank gaze returned to her face. Isane didn't believe for a moment her play on words fooled Nemu, but she prayed Nemu agreed it was a reasonable enough pretense to appease her Captain.

Nemu stared at her for a long moment, no doubt pondering that very question, "Then by all means, please proceed Lieutenant. I will not interrupt again."

A weight lifted off Isane's shoulders and with a smile she mouthed, "Thank you."

The barest curve lifted Nemu's mouth as she nodded.

Isane turned back to the wounded.

&

"Release us at once!" A soul in the form of a young woman, piercing red in her right eye, her left pitch black surrounded by a mask fragment. Her ebony hair was separated into two pigtails, both currently locked beneath her pinned shoulders. Her white and black uniform was completely obscured by layers upon layers of restraints ranging from simple iron shackles to complicated fabrics designed to seal her spiritual pressure.

"Aizen-sama will have all your heads for this!" She continued to shriek, uselessly thrashing her head to and fro in her struggles to free herself. She looked up into the distant eyes of a man with four short horns jutting from his forehead. "If you value your life at all Shinigami" she spat the title, "You'd let me…!"

Akon had been listening to her rant and shriek at the top of her impressive lungs for several minutes hoping she'd simply tire herself out with no luck. He showed no visible signs of his aggravation, merely looking down on her with his hands calmly resting at his sides.

When he'd finally had enough he didn't strike her, didn't sedate her, nor did he attempt to exert his modest spiritual pressure to intimidate her.

He simply flipped a switch near the girl's head.

Horrible screams erupted throughout the examination room, and the Arrancar before him simply froze, her mouth wide open, her single pupil contracted to near nothingness. "Menoly?" she whimpered.

The screams continued, occasionally quieting to rapid breathing and sobbing before hitching in anticipation and a new bout of screaming began. Unimaginable pain, as precise and methodical cuts tore at flesh, opened blood vessels and split nerve endings.

Akon finally cut the sound, "If you'd prefer, we can wait until Captain Kurotsuchi is available to get this examination underway."

Her eye finally focused on him again, her form trembled as much as the restraints allowed her too, and her voice shook violently, completely bereft of her earlier defiance and anger. She sounded exactly like the frightened teenager she assumed the form of, "What are you doing to her? What are you going to do to me?"

Akon's voice was gruff, he held no sympathy for the creature before him, "You and your friend have the distinction of being the first live Arrancar specimens that Soul Society has managed to capture. My Captain has had a long time to contemplate how he would study your anatomy." He paused for a quick breath, "Appropriate anesthesia is never even on his mind. It has always fallen on his lieutenant and I to requisition the appropriate medications. We're also scientists, but we haven't developed our Captain's…unique methodology. We prefer to make our experiments as painless as possible for the subjects."

Akon turned his back to her to rest his gaze on a tray full of equipment, including a syringe. "Our Captain finds the attitude inefficient, but he usually doesn't object when his subordinates provide a pain killer." He turned to face her again, the syringe in hand. "You want to know what he's doing? Your friend is lying on a table very similar to this one; she however is not bound in a single restraint."

Loly stuttered, "She'd fight! She'd try to escape!"

"Paralysis would make that rather difficult I imagine." Akon retorted dryly. "Captain Kurotsuchi has quite a steady hand, and he doesn't waste a single motion. He used his Zanpakto in Shikai to make the first incision; your friend is currently incapable of any movement at all below the neck, even reflexive ones."

"But…the screaming. The pain she's in." She whimpered.

She didn't resist when Akon's practiced hand tilted her head to expose her carotid artery, but no matter how he pushed the needle refused to pierce her flesh. He sighed in annoyance, "Do you want the anesthetic or not?"

A quick breath left her throat as she tried to fight back an ashamed tear. Her pride, her loyalty to her sister, her hatred of all Shinigami drove her to reject the offer, begged her to turn her head and spit in the face of her enemy, however…

Menoly's screams still echoed in her mind and ripped through her resolve, her strength, and it was taking all of her rapidly vanishing willpower to keep from crying. With a deep shuddering breath she relaxed her Hierro, and felt the pinch of the needle.

Akon didn't gloat or revel in the girl's submission. He took no satisfaction in breaking her in the manner he did. He had a responsibility to his Captain and his comrades to help them win the war as quickly as possible, but he'd never be able to ignore the suffering of his research subjects.

"Supplies have been greatly diminished over the course of the war, so this particular anesthetic isn't as strong as I'd like for the work I'm going to be doing." Akon explained as he withdrew the syringe. "But I'm afraid it's the best I can do under the circumstances. You won't be asleep, and this will most certainly be disconcerting, but actual pain should be minimal."

She didn't thank him, and he hadn't expected her to. She closed her eye as she felt the numbness begin to spread, _"How in the world did we let this happen?"_

&

Several Hours earlier…

Loly couldn't help the laugh that escaped her grinning mouth as her Zanpakto drew a vicious slash across the Shinigami before her. The man lost his footing as he screamed his anguish, falling to the rooftop beneath him.

She flicked her wrists a few times, flipping the sword through the air in an arrogant display of bravado before securing the Wakizashi length blade in a reverse grip horizontally in front of her, letting the dull side of the sword run parallel to her arm. The hilt weaving was a pale green, the tsuba was rounded behind the blade and quickly tapered off at the tang.

Her smile only widened, "So which of you worms wants to be next?"

An amused groan came from behind her, "What is your obsession with play before killing them anyway?" A crop of short blonde hair entered Loly's periphery vision at the right. "I can see once or twice, but every time we come to the world of the living?"

Loly lifted her shoulders in a shrug, but none of the assembled Shinigami rose to the bait and charged, "I can't help it! Its just been so boring massacring these peons, can you blame a girl for trying to spice things up?"

Menoly shook her head, exasperated but amused, "Most Numeros I know would never let you hear the end of it if they found out you actually drew steel on unseated Shinigami."

Loly's grin turned feral as she disappeared into sonido, nearly two dozen Shinigami were present but none of them were able to track her movements. Screams filled the air as three more Shinigami fell as Loly reappeared next to her sister.

"What's the point of having this power if we never use it?" She exhaled in a breathy whisper, tingling at the screams.

Menoly smiled, "So why go half-assed? If you're going to do this might as well go all the way."

"Ooooh." Loly cooed. "It's been such a long time since I really stretched my legs. Maybe I should if just for the exercise."

"Loly don't, I was just kidding." Menoly answered. She took in her sister's growing smile, "I mean it. You know what Aizen-Sama's orders were. In and out, complete the mission. Release only on a matter of life and death."

Several of the Shinigami finally mustered the nerve to launch a coordinated charge, but the Arrancar sisters batted them away effortlessly, breaking bones and raising bruises.

"Oh dear me, these Shinigami sure are scary!" Loly mocked with glee. "I think I fear for my life."

"You're going to drag me down with you, you know!" Menoly complained bitterly.

"Then you might as well share the fun if you're gonna share the punishment!" Loly retorted as she kicked away a final attacker with a spinning crescent.

Before Menoly could offer another response Loly's spiritual pressure exploded, driving all of the Shinigami back in surprise.

"Rupture!" She shouted with all of her teeth showing in a feral smile, "Aria Vacia!" Her form was obscured by blinding light as her spiritual pressure continued to climb. The Shinigami began to panic as the weakest were driven to their knees, unable to stand the crushing forces.

Menoly bit back a curse as she flicked her wrist, opening the garganta. _"Stupid bitch is going to bring a Lieutenant or worse down on our heads."_ Menoly did not retreat into the welcoming blackness, instead resolved to hold the gateway open to allow Loly's quick escape if the situation spiraled out of control.

&

"Nemu." A plaintive voice, hushed with worry came from her right. "They need our help now."

Several blocks away on the roof of a hospital Nemu Kurotsuchi spared her smaller companion a glance before returning her attention to the battle. "Captain Kurotsuchi has not given his permission to intervene yet."

"And when will the Captain's permission be forthcoming?" She snapped back. "When they're all already dead?"

If Nemu picked up on the rhetorical nature of the question it didn't stop her from answering, "Remember what our objective is, to learn all we can of the Arrancar's techniques and capture them for study and interrogation. Throughout the entire war we've never been presented with such a chance to study how garganta are opened and maintained. I believe we will not be called on to subdue the Arrancar until my Captain has collected enough data."

Her tone was acid as she turned away from the massacre and sank to the roof, pressing her small frame against the railing, "So what if two or three dozen of his subordinates die as long as he gets his precious research. This is the last time I agree to help, Nemu."

"That is most regrettable Lieutenant Hinamori. Your skill with Kido is the only way we've be able to hide our spiritual pressure from the enemy. The element of surprise would be impossible to exploit."

"I wonder if your comrades out there are surprised that help hasn't arrived yet." Momo retorted softly as she hugged her knees to her chest. "How can you stand it?"

"It…" Nemu paused. "Is not easy." She finally admitted.

&

"Fall back!" A tall and thin man with dark hair called out to his comrades. His Zanpakto was secure in his right had, his left was supporting the frame of the wounded woman he had slung over his shoulder. "Fall back! We're no match for them!"

Nearly a dozen Shinigami stood with their Zanpakto drawn at the ready, intent to hold a line against the Arrancar while their companions evacuated the wounded. The fighting retreat was a sound strategy given the situation, and the Shinigami of Squad 12 were well trained, falling back in good order even as they were burdened by the injured.

Unfortunately for them, their enemy was not willing to let them escape. "Run if you want, in the end it'll be the same. My Aria Vacia is going to rip you apart!"

The mask fragment that surrounded her empty eye had grown, wrapping around her forehead, but then arching away from her face at an angle, looking from the front like a swept wing. Her bare arms were covered from shoulder to wrist in a white ectoplasm that hung low, reaching her knees like the sleeves of a furisode. Her fingers had elongated, crowned by claws so sharp they glistened in the moonlight. Her smallest fingers started an edge that ran all the way to her wrists, and four silver ribbons trailed down her back from her shoulder blades, two above and two below, crowned in pointed blades like lances.

Loly laughed as she flexed her claws, letting them scrape against each other in a shower of sparks, "You're all dead!"

She clasped her hands together, and her low hanging sleeves undulated for a moment before snapping like taut elastic. Several projectiles, oval in shape, but translucent and covered in veins like a membrane erupted from her arms and sped towards the hapless Shinigami.

Many of them were quick enough to avoid the attack, but three were not so lucky. The sound of the impact was muffled, as if the victims were hit by balls of wet mud. They struggled uselessly to pull the substance off, as it writhed and surrounded their heads. Some of their comrades attempted to puncture the membranes from the outside. They could see the panicked faces of the victims, muddled as if looking through distorted glass.

Loly grinned and snapped her fingers.

Several Shinigami screamed in alarm.

All three membranes were instantly coated red with blood, and the victims dropped to the ground like rag dolls.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Loly promised. Her first target, a young woman with blonde hair actually parried the swing of Loly's claws, however she didn't expect that the ribbons that flew down the Arrancar's back were weapons. Faster than the strike of a snake they wrapped around her shoulders and punched four vicious wounds into the victim's torso.

She was dead before her body hit the roof.

Loly's laughter echoed in the night sky even louder than the screams of her victims. Simultaneously her tails struck, too fast to track, and two more Shinigami fell, matching puncture wounds in their throats.

"God, this is almost too easy to be fun." Her grin was wicked as she snaked out her tongue to taste the blood that coated one of her tails.

"Would you hurry your ass up and get over here!?" Menoly shouted from behind her. "We've already passed our deadline, a Captain could respond any bloody minute!"

"If you think I'm going too slow you could always join in." Loly called back over her shoulder. "Whaddya say? The one who kills the most of them gets to skip on duty of their choice?"

Menoly's eye widened, "You're insane! You're going to get us killed or worse! Get in the damn garganta!"

Loly was finally annoyed, "If you're gonna be such a damned coward then go ahead and run on home, I don't need a chaperone!" Before Menoly could retort Loly had already leaped back in the fray.

Menoly winced as she considered her options, what should she do? Would she be able to live with herself if she retreated through the Garganta and something happened to Loly? Her hollow instincts were strong, pushing her to abandon her sister and ensure her own survival. Yet she was much more than a simple hollow, Aizen-Sama and the Hogyoku had given her much more than an increase in power.

Her stomach was twisting in knots, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Hairs along the back of her neck were standing on end, and her legs shook with anxiety.

She clenched her free fist in anger as she bit hard on her lower lip. She was an Arrancar, it was unbecoming to shake in fear of Shinigami. It was time to act, one way or another. She drew a deep breath before finally tearing her right hand away from the Garganta, and grasping the hilt of her Zanpakto.

A normal sized Katana in contrast to her sister's smaller Wakizashi, Menoly's Zanpakto possessed a rustic read colored weaving. The Tsuba was a hollow circle attached to the hilt by two small golden prongs on both sides of the blade.

The black tear in space collapsed behind her, and the anxious feeling twisting her stomach in knots exploded into bone-chilling fear.

She harnessed it, exhaling into a fierce cry as she kicked against the air and rocketed into the battle.

She twisted as she drew her sword, nearly cutting a hapless victim in half, and harnessed the rotation to deliver a bone shattering kick to the back of another foe's head.

"Bleed!" She screamed, "Rio Corriente!" The explosion of her spiritual pressure knocked the assembled Shinigami completely off their feet, and even threw Loly back a few steps before she could arrest her momentum.

"Yes!" Loly breathed in an excited hiss, her blood boiling as her skin tingled. Her sister's spiritual pressure rolled over her in waves, standing every nerve of her body on edge.

Menoly's mask fragment extended to mirror Loly's, a swept wing over her right eye. Her forearms were covered by thick gauntlets that ended in three distinct flanges over the back of her hands. The flanges in turn extended into sharp claws that passed between her knuckles and ended half a foot from her fists. A constant stream of dark red liquid teeming with her spiritual pressure spilled from the blades, falling to the rooftop beneath her. The concrete hissed and smoke rose at the point of contact.

Her neck was wrapped in a loose white fabric that seemed to write and coil as if alive, the ends of which ran across her shoulders and down her arms before connecting to her gauntlets.

Menoly turned to pin Loly with a harsh stare as she spoke with dozens of voices at once. "When this is over and we're back in Hueco Mundo I'm going to Kick. Your. Ass."

Loly only grinned, "I always forget how sick you sound when you release."

"Let's just get this over with." Menoly turned to look at the remaining foes, "I'm on the clock, don't struggle and you won't suffer." She exerted her spiritual pressure with a fierce yell, expelling a torrent of noxious red gas.

&

"Nemu! We've got to get in there, now!" Momo shouted as she planted her leading foot on the rail in front of her and grasped her sword.

Nemu restrained her with a single hand on her shoulder, her grip impossibly strong. "We haven't received that order yet."

Momo took in a deep breath, her eyes shone with fury as she opened her mouth to exhale a vicious opinion on the subject but Nemu's other hand clasped over her mouth, "We await your orders my Captain."

Momo froze, his voice came from behind her, grating over her like a shower of biting hail, she never sensed his approach. "Its regrettable they closed the Garganta so soon, but we collected invaluable data non-the-less. Nemu, Lieutenant Hinamori, subdue the Arrancar but avoid any unnecessary damage. I want the specimens as close to pristine condition as circumstance allows."

Nemu released Momo and turned to offer Mayuri a bow, "At once sir."

Momo still couldn't move, frozen in place as Nemu turned and leapt off the roof. Mayuri entered her peripheral vision, and she averted her gaze on reflex, almost recoiling as if struck.

"Well girl? Where did all your enthusiasm disappear to?" Momo's stomach filled with ice at the realization he had heard everything she said. "My subordinates will have bled and died for nothing if you allow the Arrancar to escape."

"Like you care!" She couldn't believe she let the words escape her mouth, but a fire had surged through her and she had momentarily forgotten who she was speaking too. She disappeared into a flash step as quickly as she could, not interested in finding out what Mayuri's reaction was.

She didn't hear his amused chuckling.

&

She couldn't believe it was going to end this way. Fresh out of the academy on her first patrol, and she was going to die. Men and women she had just barely met were lying dead and wounded around her. There were only six of them left standing, out of a combined patrol of twenty-four. Their strongest, the 13th and 18th seats were already down, and the Arrancar weren't even winded.

It was a unique fear, the terror she felt for her life. Never before in all of her training had she felt so helpless. Of course her instructors routinely trounced her in drills and several of her classmates bested her with ease, but never had she encountered any opponents that seemed so far out of reach. With enough time and experience she could one day defeat those instructors and classmates.

But even if she had a thousand years to grow stronger before facing these Arrancar again she knew the result would be absolutely identical.

They wouldn't even have to try any harder to do the job either.

Escape was impossible, and victory was a fever dream, a hallucination. She desperately tried to still her shaking arms, hoping to at least die with dignity.

"Rest easy dear, it'll be over soon." The black haired Arrancar leered with a sadistic lilt to her voice. The Arrancar's claws grated together in a horrid screech as she flexed them, and the poor girl couldn't help but flinch.

Her claws reared back to strike, and the Shinigami lifted her blade to parry.

Suddenly she was sailing through the air, surprise etched across her face. She had barely felt the impact, but was catapulted as if hit by a rampaging bus. She managed to regain her footing, sliding to an easy stop and turned back to the battle.

"Lieutenant Kurotsuchi?" The Lieutenant of Squad 12 had her left had wrapped around the inside of Loly's wrist, safely blocking the swipe of claws meant to end the Shinigami's life.

She didn't spare her subordinate a glance, keeping her full attention on the stunned Arrancar before her, "Where the fuck did you come from?" Loly breathed.

"Irrelevant." Nemu's soft voice answered her. "Surrender or be subdued Arrancar."

Loly recovered from her surprise and an ugly scowl marred her features, "Bitch, I'll blow your damned head off your shoulders!" Loly's free hand sparked with angry red energy and came down in a swift strike but Nemu grasped that wrist as well. Loly struggled, but Nemu's grip was secure.

Loly screamed in frustration, and the ribbons that flew down her back tensed. Nemu's right leg lifted at the knee, her foot snapped upwards catching Loly under the chin with the heel of her sandal.

The force of the blow lifted Loly several feet into the air, and the snap of her ribbons brought them harmlessly over Nemu's head. When Loly opened her eye, all she saw was the fierce glow of Nemu's Kido enhanced fist. The blow caught full on her right cheek, violently snapping her head to the left and spraying blood from her mouth. The momentum of the blow completely rotated her body as she fell, listless to the rooftop beneath her.

She landed on her right shoulder with a sickening thud, and bounced once before flopping onto her back, her eye glossed over and unfocused as she attempted to stare up at Nemu.

A horrible scream broke the sudden silence. Nemu turned her head to look down on the second Arrancar. Both of her forearms were buried in the torso of a Shinigami, six blades erupted from his back, there was no question about his status.

Menoly's jade eye burned with fury as she brutally tore her claws from her victim, ruthlessly eviscerating the corpse in a shower of blood. She shot both of her arms towards Nemu, a harsh red light was born in front of her closed fists quickly gaining intensity.

"Cero." Her voice was primal, animalistic, full of rage and instinct and the killing intent of dozens of individuals. Her Cero erupted, racing towards Nemu with power sufficient to topple skyscrapers and burn through mountainsides.

"Hadou 73, Soren Sokatsui!" Momo's shout was nearly lost over the roar of her Kido. Twin azure bolts of spiritual power merged and collided head on with the Cero. The explosion lit the dark night sky like a fierce lightning bolt, and thundered with the force of a sonic boom, tearing down light poles, shattering windows by the dozen, and ripping trees from the ground.

It took a moment for the smoke to clear, revealing Menoly's clenched face. She was viciously grinding her teeth as she shook with fury.

Momo's voice reached her, calm and collected, an ironic contrast, "You don't have to die here. Surrender peacefully."

"Surrender?" Menoly asked. "There is no surrender. There is victory or death!" She kicked off the roof, firing herself like a bullet at Momo and Nemu while rearing her arms back for the strike.

Momo grasped her sword, but Nemu beat her to the draw, metal screeched violently as her black blade caught Menoly's attack. As thin as the blade was, it refused to break under the ferocity of the blow.

"Please see to the other opponent Lieutenant, I believe my abilities make me the better match for this one."

Momo nodded without hesitation, "Right."

"I'm going to kill you for what you did to my sister." Menoly promised as she continued her assault, punching and kicking at Nemu in a flurry of blows.

Nemu rarely parried the attacks head on, preferring instead to dodge the blows altogether or redirecting them harmlessly away from her body. She continued to dance, gracefully avoiding the barrage with a minimum of movement, occasionally slapping the flat portion of her blade across the exposed underside of Menoly's wrists with enough force to break a normal human's bones.

Menoly's hierro merely bruised.

"Is the outcome not obvious to you Arrancar?" Nemu's voice was not sardonic or cruel, but passive and neutral. "I would prefer not to damage you, but I do not have sufficient time to continue fighting you in this way."

Menoly's rage only built. "Stop dancing around and fight me head on, we'll end this real quick!"

"Understood." Nemu's Zanpakto slapped Menoly right over her eye. She screamed as she lifted her hand to her face, her other groping blindly for Nemu.

Nemu easily ducked under the clumsy attack and rotated her body. Her foot caught Menoly in a stiff roundhouse, folding the girl over herself as she was thrown back into the air.

Nemu grasped the hilt of her sword with her thumbs, leaving her palms open, "Ebb and flow, Kentaiga."

When Menoly finally blinked her eye into focus Nemu was just out of arm's reach, her left foot was planted forward, her right arm was bent at the elbow and lifted away from her body, her left was positioned directly behind her right, fingers open.

Menoly stared at the odd pose in stunned silence for a moment before clenching her fists and rearing back for a punch.

Nemu's left wrist flexed.

Something deep and primal within Menoly sensed the danger even though her eye couldn't, and she desperately threw her head to the left, losing her footing and falling onto her thigh.

She carefully lifted a hand to her neck, it came away with a startling amount of blood. "What the hell was that?" She breathed wide eyed.

Nemu rotated her right wrist, and Menoly was briefly blinded as the moonlight reflected harshly off what she was holding. She dodged again, this time hearing the blade slice through the air, passing through several strands of her hair, effortlessly shearing them from her scalp.

Nemu continued to move in a complicated dance, her hands staying close together as her arms weaved around her body with sinuous grace. Menoly couldn't track the sword, and desperately dodged, trying to stay away from Nemu's hands. Her hakama and vest suffered slashes due to near misses, and Nemu actually opened a thin wound across her stomach with a final swipe.

"Kentaiga is completely translucent, invisible to the naked eye." She explained softly. "If you do not surrender I will incapacitate you. It will not be painless."

Menoly growled, "What aren't you getting? I won't surrender to be a Shinigami's prisoner. I'll die first."

"Your death will not be permitted." Nemu promised. "You have much to answer for, and much to teach us about your kind."

&

Loly shook her head as she groggily sat up, pulling her knees close to her chest. She groaned as she lifted her gaze, but swore sharply and scrambled backwards on her hands and heels at the sight of the girl right in front of her.

"I am the Lieutenant of Squad 5, Momo Hinamori." The steel in her voice was joined by the Zanpakto in her hands.

The name dispelled the fog that clouded Loly's mind, and she began laughing out loud. "Oh, this is too good." She lifted herself to her feet, "You're Aizen-Sama's pet Shinigami? Damn girl, you're not even good looking. No wonder he stabbed you and left you to die."

"Snap, Tobiume!" A fuchsia glow permeated her Zanpakto as it shifted shape, straightening into a double-edged long sword with three Jitte prongs.

Momo swept her sword back and stepped into her swing, an ear splitting shriek parted her lips. The explosion of her spiritual pressure punched a whole clean through the roof and erupted out the side of the building several stories below.

Loly reappeared in a burst of static high in the air, wide eyed with shock and her mouth hanging open in horror.

Momo easily tracked her move, an enraged scowl twisted her face as she swung again. An even larger sphere of her spiritual pressure rocketed at Loly.

The Arrancar sneered in contempt as she stepped into another Sonido, easily bypassing the missile.

She didn't expect Momo to appear right behind her, her arms already coming down in a swing. Loly didn't have time to dodge, the blast impact alone nearly shattered her shoulder blades, and the searing heat blazed a trail of white hot fire down her back and over her shoulders to her chest.

Her momentum was abruptly halted by the side of a water tower several blocks away. Her body folded the metal like paper, hugging her frame and trapping her in place.

With a groan she flexed her burned ribbons, puncturing the steel around her to lever herself out of the indent and fell listless to the roof beneath her.

Space distorted briefly as Momo exited her flash step, several dozen feet above the prone Arrancar. Loly screamed in a mixture of panic and frustration as she clasped her hands together. Her furisode like sleeves writhed for a moment before snapping, launching several oval shaped membranous projectiles at Momo.

Tobiume flared as Momo dove to meet the attack, smaller more controlled bursts of power surged along the blade, annihilating the approaching objects completely.

Both women exhaled into screams as Momo descended. Loly's snapped off completely, in tandem with the horrible crunch of Tobiume's impact.

Her pupil had contracted, sweat ran freely down her shivering body, and her lips parted as she drew in shuddering breaths. The tip of Tobiume had speared the concrete roof barely an inch to the right of her ear.

"Why?" Loly asked.

Loly's breathing was cut off in a strangled gasp as Momo's foot was planted viciously on her throat. Her eyes shone with fury as she bent over Loly bringing her close enough to hear her fierce whisper, "Because I know nothing I do to you will even compare to what Captain Kurotsuchi has planned. You're going to wish I killed you here tonight. You think you hate Shinigami now? You're going to hate me more fiercely than anything you've ever felt before. You're going to want to kill me a thousand times in the most horrible and painful ways you can imagine and you're going to know that even if you could, it still wouldn't be enough to satisfy you. That nothing you can ever do will ever fix the hurt inside, gnawing at you incessantly until you want to scream your throat hoarse over and over again."

Momo affixed more pressure to the gasping Arrancar pinned beneath her, "Then, maybe you'll understand a fraction of what I feel for you Arrancar scum for taking Captain Aizen from me."

The nearly hysterical lilt to her tone, the inhuman glint to her eyes, the unyielding pressure her small frame was applying to Loly's throat.

At that moment Loly was more terrified of the monster in front of her than she had ever been in her centuries of existence.

When Momo's eyes glowed violet, Loly welcomed the darkness that claimed her.

Momo breathed in deep as she completed her Hakufuku, and watched impassively as the Arrancar's hollow powers melted off her frame, coalescing into the short sword that was her Zanpakto.

She sealed Tobiume as she sheathed the blade, and turned to walk away without sparing the Arrancar another glance. She knew Mayuri's assistants would be along shortly to collect his newest specimen.

&

Menoly was breathing heavily, sweat and blood stung her eye mercilessly as she struggled to keep Nemu in her sight. She hadn't landed a single blow, and the Shinigami continued to stare at her with her dead eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat when Loly's spiritual pressure burned out completely. "No." She moaned piteously.

Nemu turned her gaze towards the battle for a moment, "She is not dead."

"I won't let you take her!" Menoly reached Nemu in two long strides attacking with both arms in a barrage of strikes. Nemu stepped into a rare parry, letting her blade stop the lateral swipe of Menoly's right arm.

Assured by the contact, Menoly pressed on the blade with all of her strength, intent to keep Nemu's sword locked down. She pressed so hard, that she stumbled forward when the blade vanished beneath her claws, and pierced her right foot.

She screamed as the pain shot up her leg, unfocused and helpless to resist as Nemu kicked the hilt of her Zanpakto, driving it harshly through Menoly's foot to pierce the rooftop beneath them. Nemu grasped her left wrist, and spun around her to pin it harshly against her back, forcing Menoly to her left knee.

Menoly gagged as Nemu wrapped her forearm around her neck, closing her windpipe. "Keeping tactile contact with Kentaiga to determine its location was a sound strategy given you didn't know all of its properties. The hilt is hollow, allowing the blade to travel from one end to the other."

Menoly desperately tried to strike at Nemu with her free right arm, but was unsuccessful. Blackness started to edge her vision as her struggles died down.

Nemu kept her grip secure for several long moments after Menoly's right arm fell limp to her side, only releasing her when her Hollow powers dissipated, leaving behind her Zanpakto. With a harsh pull Nemu freed her sword, sealing and sheathing it beneath her sash in the same motion.

Mayuri appeared next to her, "I suppose you performed adequately."

"Thank you my Captain."

"You may take team 6 to handle the wounded as you see fit."

"Yes sir." She responded, but his attention was already focused on the prone Arrancar before him. An excited grin broke out on his face.

&

Isane set her shoulders and drew in a deep breath as she looked upon the closed portal before her. Nemu stood at her side, waiting patiently for Isane to take the initiative.

With a final glace to Nemu Isane entered the door. Dark except for the glow of several monitors, and silent except for the incessant staccato of tapped keys. Mayuri Kurotsuchi's personal sanctuary, his computer lab.

His fingers never paused, never even hitched in their movements as they approached. Only the crown of his head of azure hair was visible over the back of his chair, "I expected you several hours ago Lieutenant Kotetsu. Did Nemu fail to deliver my instructions?"

She couldn't help the shiver that ran down her arms. His voice was detached and hollow, as if he could barely spare the effort to address them. "No Captain Kurotsuchi, Nemu made me perfectly aware of your orders. The wounded required complicated treatment, I was unable to leave them until now."

His sigh was audible. "Do you have no sense of priority woman? We are at war, and we cannot afford to waste a single second on ineffective materials."

Isane was scandalized, in absolute horror of what he was implying. "If you are referring to the wounded, I can assure you my priorities are quite clear!"

He finally stopped typing and rose to his feet, and Isane sucked in a breath, only Nemu's reassuring hand on her shoulder prevented her from drawing her weapon. Nemu's hand quickly fell away as Mayuri turned to face them.

"Before you spout your moral outrage you should consider our situation more carefully. Our victory in this conflict is dependant upon our ability to understand our enemy so we can destroy them. Tell me, how many of my subordinates that you treated today would ever be capable of destroying even a mere Gillian?"

She paused for a moment, "None of them."

He nodded, "Of course. Even if you saved them from the brink of death a thousand times and returned them to the battlefield, the results would be identical. They would fight, and they would lose. Thus it is incumbent on those of use strong enough to take up the sword against the Arrancar. Using up manpower and resources on Shinigami who are completely incapable of helping us defeat our enemies is utter foolishness. Your time would be better spent studying the anatomy of our…guests, learning everything you could of them to give you a better understanding of how to defeat them."

"So you would have us leave the wounded where they fall? Just let them die?" Isane asked incredulously.

"If their treatment requires resources unsubstantiated by their ability to contribute to the war effort, yes. It's called triage Lieutenant, I'm sure you've heard of it." Mayuri chided her.

Her fists clenched tightly, "You sent them to die." She accused. "They followed your orders, trusted you to protect them, and you let them die. I won't be a part of it. I will not abandon them too."

Mayuri's eyelids drooped as he shook his head, "You manage to prove yourself a fool every time we meet girl." He paused a moment considering, "As ordered by Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Lieutenant Kotetsu you are hereby relieved of your healing duties, effective immediately."

&

There it is.

Sorry again for the long hiatus, but papers and LSATs and all manner of other nonsense cropped up. I hope y'all liked it!

I used very rough English to Spanish, and English to Japanese translations for Loly, Menoly's, and Nemu's Zanpakto.

I'd like to thank AbstractError for pointing out a mistake I made in translating Loly's Zanpakto. Using a website to provide translations may be a useful stepping stone, but its not always perfect, and Error kindly provided the correct translation that I feel sounds better than what I had anyway. So it has the advantage of being accurate and sounding cooler. 6/21/08

Loly: "Rupture, Aria Vacia!" Aria Vacia literally translates as 'Empty Air' or 'Air of the Void'. It's meant to reflect that she can cause the blood vessels in her opponent's body to rupture via explosive decompression. As anyone trained in some science may know, a vacuum exists when there is literally nothing in a space, which causes our cells to expand in an attempt at equilibrium with the surrounding environment.

Menoly: "Bleed, Rio Corriente!" Rio Corriente literally translates as 'Flowing River'. It's meant to reflect that her spiritual pressure infects her victims through their open wounds and prevents them from closing, causing a flowing river of blood that will eventually kill them.

Nemu: "Ebb and Flow, Kentaiga." Kentaiga is not a literal translation, it is in fact just a combination of two words, Blade and River. I was shooting for River Blade or Flowing Blade, but that was as close as I could get. It transforms her sword into a double edged, straight blade with a hollow handle. The blade can slide along the handle allowing Nemu to attack from unsuspected directions, as the sword itself is almost invisible, especially in the dark, but still has a surface capable of reflecting some light on an angle. I was inspired by a sword from a Dragon Dynasty movie called the Seven Swords for the hollow hilt, but the invisible sword is purely my own imagination

I hope you all enjoyed the fight scenes, and Momo's characterization and appearance.

Hope you all enjoyed this massive chapter, I hope to be updating weekly again.

Next time we'll see Isane's fallout to be stripped of her duties.

Until then, let me know what you think!

**Very Very Important! Visit my profile to vote on which Espada Kills Captain Unohana!**


	8. Just like her

&

Hey guys, here's chapter 8 for your reading enjoyment! Much smaller than chapter 7, but I like it more overall.

Thank you for your continued support of the story, and your reviews they truly make my day.

I'm glad you all enjoyed Nemu and Momo's action scenes and commented on the Arrancar releases I envisioned. I thought Momo may have been a little too over the top but I think I had enough leeway with an AU and over a year for her to get a little bent and crazy.

This chapter deals with the fallout on Isane's dismissal from her Healing responsibilities and introduces an old friend.

Please enjoy.

&

"So you would have us leave the wounded where they fall? Just let them die?" _Isane asked incredulously._

"If their treatment requires resources unsubstantiated by their ability to contribute to the war effort, yes. It's called triage Lieutenant, I'm sure you've heard of it." _Mayuri chided her._

_Her fists clenched tightly_, "You sent them to die." _She accused_. "They followed your orders, trusted you to protect them, and you let them die. I won't be a part of it. I will not abandon them too."

_Mayuri's eyelids drooped as he shook his head_, "You manage to prove yourself a fool every time we meet girl." He paused a moment considering, "As ordered by Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Lieutenant Kotetsu you are hereby relieved of your healing duties, effective immediately."

&

Her stomach contracted violently, her heart clenched, her hands were clasped as she pressed her arms tight to her chest, "What? What did you just say?" Her voice was small as if she were lost, trapped in a world that suddenly made no sense, that ran contrary to everything she ever knew and trusted.

"I don't stutter child." His voice was derisive, dismissive.

"But," She started softly, "You…you can't do that!" Her volume and pitch increased exponentially with every word until she was nearly screaming in desperation.

"You're right, I can't." He confirmed as he fished a hand inside the sleeve of his haori. Isane briefly fumbled for the tubular message case he threw at her, her fingers stiff and unresponsive. "That is why I explained it was by Yamamoto's order. You'll find it officially sealed and confirmed by several other Captains."

Isane stared at him for a moment before attacking the clasp, spilling the scroll into her hands and unfurling it with an angry snap. Her eyes flicked back and forth, quickly at first, but then methodically slowing down as the words registered. Her eyes were fixated on the seal for several long moments, hoping that it was some cruel joke, that it would just disappear.

Her arms were shaking, and each breath was a battle. Finally she drew enough courage to examine the Captain-Commander's signature. Then the witnesses, Byakuya Kuchiki, and then…

She drew in a quick breath as if she were punched in the stomach, and her eyes watered. Jyushiro Ukitake's immaculate and familiar hand writing stared up at her. "This can't be right."

"Don't be absurd." Mayuri snorted.

"No!" She nearly tore the scroll in half in her clenched fists. "He wouldn't…he wouldn't sign this!" She bowed her head, getting very quiet as her shoulders shook.

It was a foul and harsh betrayal that shook her to the core. Ukitake was one of her dearest and most trusted friends. He knew what her work meant to her, knew how deeply she cared. To sign this order…was absolutely unthinkable.

"I don't have time for this nonsense." Mayuri growled. "Get out of my lab. Go and confirm the order until you're satisfied at its authenticity if that's what you need to do."

She didn't raise her head, but lifted a hand to cover her mouth, folding her other arm over her stomach.

His head shook, as if he were in disbelief, "You call yourself a Lieutenant of the Gotei 13? This behavior is unbecoming."

It was too much. Being stripped of her responsibilities, the shock of Ukitake's involvement, and Mayuri's harsh taunting. She wanted to curl into a ball, to cry for days, to just disappear. She couldn't find the strength to meet his gaze, trying with all of her might to hold onto her crumbling composure.

"My Captain, Lieutenant Kotetsu has been under a great deal of stress." Nemu tried to cut in.

"I did not ask you to speak." He snapped at her, "I certainly didn't ask you to insult me with that nonsensical dribble. Do not push me today girl."

Nemu winced as she averted her gaze and bowed her head, "My sincerest apologies sir."

"Permission…" Isane finally muttered. "Permission to be dismissed sir." Her throat burned, disgusted at the respect she paid him, but it couldn't be helped. He was still a Captain, and protocol had to be observed.

Mayuri stared at her, "Get out of my sight. Report back tomorrow after the morning meal. For your sake, there had better not be a repeat of this disgraceful conduct. Your training has been neglected for two weeks, expect a rigorous session."

She offered the shortest bow that could still be considered proper and practically fled the chamber, nearly running over a much shorter woman on her way through the portal. Isane spun to look at the woman and nearly fainted, "Please excuse me Captain Soi Fong!"

An annoyed scowl crossed her features as she easily regained her footing, "Carry on Lieutenant." Isane disappeared into a flash step without further prompt.

Soi Fong turned her harsh glare to Mayuri without missing a beat, "What's this nonsense about refusing my men access to the prisoners Kurotsuchi?"

&

Clipped and precise footsteps echoed in the massive chamber. Dark except for a circle of light, absurdly out of place, that illuminated a stone chair and a metal cylinder that rose from the floor.

A figure sat prone in the chair, an elbow propped on the right armrest, legs spread derisively. A crimson sash belted down a white vest covered by a long white jacket. Brown hair slicked back except for a rebellious strand of bangs that hugged his forehead.

Brown eyes lidded briefly and a small smile graced his lips as the steps abruptly cut off, "Ulquiorra."

The Espada fell to his knee and bowed his head in reverence, "Aizen-sama."

"Rise, please." Sosuke Aizen commanded with a gentle flex of his left wrist, beckoning his subordinate forward. "What news from the front?"

Ulquiorra rose to his feet, his voice was monotone as he began his report. "Our attacks continue to draw excellent results Aizen-sama. The Shinigami refuse to abandon the world of the living, and their casualties are mounting exponentially."

"I see. What of our casualties Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra did not hesitate, "Arrancar treinte un y treinte dos were captured by Shinigami from the twelfth squad Aizen-sama."

"You did not see fit to deploy the negacion to recover them? Aizen asked.

"No sir. They disobeyed your orders and exposed the garganta to the eyes of the enemy. The damage had already been done, and their bodies will not teach the Shinigami anything useful. The trash did not deserve to be rescued."

Aizen was silent for a moment, "You continue to exercise such excellent judgement in my service Ulquiorra. Any other news?"

"The Sexta and Decima continue to complain."

Aizen waved the comment aside, "Their frustration is understandable let them vent it as they see fit. What of the Octava?"

"He works without rest Aizen-sama, but has yet to produce any meaningful results. I fear his mind is too damaged to complete the task."

"Take Inoue Orihime to him. If her skills cannot repair him, other options will have to be explored."

"You need only give me the names and it will be done without delay Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra vowed.

Aizen smiled, "When the time comes I will entrust the task to you."

"Thank you, Aizen-Sama."

"What of our other guests?"

&

The full moon bathed her room in a pale glow. She was already in bed, her face turned to the wall. It was well past midnight, but sleep eluded her. Her mind was unable to settle, plagued by the horrified expressions of her seated officers and still massively hurt by the day's events.

She had worked tirelessly during the whole of her career, served with distinction during several crises, and no one questioned her skill and dedication in leading Squad 4 after Captain Unohana's death. How could all of that be erased so suddenly?

The knock at her door temporarily broke her from her thoughts, who would call on her at this time of night? "Who is it?"

A pause, "It's me."

A pain shot through her, squeezing her with a deep ache. "Oh." Was her eventual despondent reply.

She heard him nervously shuffle on his feet during the silence, "May I come in?"

She could think of half a dozen reasons why she should refuse the request. She was hurt and deep down angry with him, but at the same time she knew how distraught he'd be if she sent him away. Even now she couldn't do that to him.

She sat up in her bed, and swung her legs to rest her feet on the floor. She rubbed her face for a moment before giving up on hiding her tear stained cheeks. "Come in." She finally called.

The door slid open quietly as he padded into the room. She was surprised he was still in uniform at this late hour. She studied him for several long moments, he looked more miserable than she felt. Even in the dim light she could tell his skin was unnaturally pale, his eyes were nearly encircled by deep bruises, and a cold sweat caused long strands of his white bangs to cling to his forehead.

His expression was dour, he looked defeated and ashamed. He could only hold her hurt stare for a moment at a time, letting his eyes fall to her chin. When he finally opened his mouth to speak he was wracked with painful coughing that drove him to his knee, she was at his side in an instant.

He took in a relieved breath and his whole body uncoiled as her cold and refreshing spiritual pressure seeped into his lungs. It was amazing how quickly they fell into the familiar pattern, his head fell to her shoulder, her left palm was splayed over his chest, her right over his back.

Her hands moved in tandem, a soothing caress as her spiritual pressure calmed the inflammation. Her voice was a murmur that rolled over him like gentle waves, "In and out. In and out."

His breathing eased as he followed her lead, letting the attack fade away.

"Any bleeding?" She asked softly. He shook his head, and she couldn't think of anything else to say but, "that's good."

They were silent for a moment as Isane continued her treatment. She whispered, as if afraid he would fall into another bought of coughing if she raised her voice, "You're pushing yourself too hard."

She stiffened as his arms wrapped around her shoulders and back, "I'm sorry."

She knew he wasn't talking about pushing himself, "I am so upset at you."

"I know." He assured her, equally quiet.

Her next words twisted a knife in his heart, "How could you?"

He let out a deep sigh, "You weren't supposed to find out this way."

Her hands fisted in his robes as she struggled to hold back a sob, "Kurotsuchi had the order, how did you think I would find out?"

"I was going to be the one to explain things, but there was an emergency." She tensed and he was quick to assure her, "Kiyone is fine. She's fine. She's hopping mad and not speaking to me, but she's fine."

She relaxed. She didn't question how her sister knew, Ukitake would have told her, "I'll talk to her. She shouldn't let this affect her duties."

He shook his head, "I have six siblings, I wouldn't want to talk to me either." They were silent again until Ukitake gathered the nerve to continue, "I didn't want to do it Isane. I knew how badly this would hurt you, but Kurotsuchi made a very convincing argument."

He was completely unprepared for the explosion of her limbs that threw her out of his arms and sent him sprawling to his rear. "This was Kurotsuchi's idea!? And you approved it!?" Her voice was an hysterical shrill and her eyes were wide and horrified.

She stood over him as she continued, her arms shaking in emphasis, "Do you have any idea what that…that lunatic did? Nine dead on scene, three dead on arrival, another nine lacerated and burned! Three of his shinigami will never see again, and for what!?"

He sat without interrupting, recognizing her need for release.

"For…for a few bits of data and for two new victims to torture!" She took a deep breath as she pressed her palms into her eyes, "And now after they had to go through that massacre, after they were betrayed by their own Captain, I'm relieved for treating them instead of answering Kuruotsuchi's every beck and call!?"

He shook his hands, "No, no. That's not why…"

She interrupted him with a plaintive sob, "You promised." He stopped cold, her hands fell away from her eyes she was crying in a small pained voice that sent cold chills up his spine. "You _promised_ that you wouldn't let Kurotsuchi do things like this anymore."

"Isane…" He breathed.

She was wracked with a sob as she looked away from him, "What else can I give? What else can I do? This whole year I've had this…this ache that's been absolutely _killing_ me. I've pushed so hard, fought so hard to keep my Squad together, to keep the Gotei together."

She turned back to him, "And through all this suffering and misery, I've had to let him put his disgusting hands on me over and over again, let him shoot me full of those terrible drugs. I wanted to resign my commission so many times."

She paced back to her bed and snatched something off the shelf, the paper slapped against his forehead before falling open in his lap, "I wrote the letter." His eyes nearly fell out of his head as he automatically began perusing her tiny and neat script. She shook her head and planted her palms on her hips as she threw her head to the ceiling, "I started carrying it with me. I must have stood outside the Captain-Commander's office a dozen times with it, just staring at his door."

"What…" He took a breath, "what stopped you?"

She stared straight through him, "You did."

The air left him in a rush and his gut turned cold all over again, "Oh."

She sighed, "Well it wasn't _just _you."

"Well that's a relief." He murmured.

"Ass." She accused harshly as she violently planted a foot on his shoulder and shoved him to his back.

"Sorry." He groaned.

She had already turned her back on him, and her hands were back over her eyes, her shoulders were shaking. "They're going to die without me Jyushiro. Iemura, Hanataro and the others are well trained and they have the heart but they can't do everything I can. Shinigami are going to die because of this, and I'm going to carry that with me every single day. I'm going to carry this pain every single day. Why?"

"There is no pleasant answer to that question Isane." He began. "You're absolutely right, good Shinigami are going to die because you won't be there to take care of them." He regained his footing and approached her, laying his hands gently over her shoulders. "The cold hard truth of the matter is that treating the wounded isn't going to end this war. Only defeating Aizen and his Arrancar will do that. We need your strength on the battlefield more than we need your skill as a healer."

She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing out fresh tears, "But I'm not strong enough. You _know_ I'm not strong enough."

He shook his head softly as he squeezed her shoulders, "I know you _are._ Deep down, you know it too." He paused for a moment, "You are so much like her."

"Don't!" She snapped as she spun out of his touch, "Don't you dare lay that guilt on me!"

He held his hands up, a silent plea, "You know that's not what I was trying to say."

"The hell I do." She hissed. "I loved her every bit as much as you did, but I am _not_ her replacement. I can never be the Captain or the woman that she was."

"And I would never ask you to be," He attempted to mollify her. "I was just saying that you care as powerfully as she did, that you hate fighting just as fiercely as she did."

Her anger seeped away and her voice got small, "Jyushiro…I watched her die. For pity's sake I was right there Jyushiro and I had to watch her die."

She didn't resist as he collected her into a fierce embrace. Her sobs shook him fiercely as his right hand stroked her back while his left held her head close. "It wasn't your fault. You did everything you could, and no one could have done more."

"What if…" She started but got quiet.

"What if what?" He prompted her gently.

"What if you're right? What if she was right? What if…god help me for saying this, but what if Kurotsuchi was right?" She asked in a frightened whisper. "Say I throw myself into my training, that I overcome my…fear of Itegumo's bloodlust. That I wade into battle and cut down Arrancar without pause or mercy and I help end this war…"

He hated hearing the words from her, they sounded even more heinous and foul when her kind voice uttered them. "No one is asking you to surrender your sense of mercy Isane."

She ignored him, "Wouldn't that mean that I could have saved her? That if I was just brave enough to do this decades ago, or even last year that Retsu would still be alive?" She took in a shuddering breath, "It would kill me Jyushiro. I would just die."

He was absolutely horrified. "Oh Isane. No, no of course that's not what it would mean."

She waited for him to continue for agonizing moments, hoping desperately that he knew the right words to fix the ache deep within her.

He didn't.

&

There we are, chapter 8.

**The Poll is Going to End Shortly and I know more than 9 of you are reading this story! Please visit my profile to participate! **

I think this is my favorite chapter so far, and I hope you guys agree with me. Aizen's entrance may be small but its setting the stage for the true conflict in this story.

I hope you guys sympathize with Isane, and agree with me that this is quite a believable response from her to this tremendously difficult situation.

I'm sure quite a few of you were shocked that Jyushiro went along with the decision, but I hope he made it up to you guys later in the chapter.

Its obvious that Ukitake and Isane's relationship is quite complicated, so who knows what direction it can take as we continue this journey?

You'll just have to keep reading to find out D

Please review, it makes me smile.


	9. Shattered Delusion

Hey Guys,

Hey Guys,

Its been a while, and I'm sorry for the delay. Things are busy which is both good and bad. I'm happy to report that I secured a beta-reader who has been wonderful with catching all of my grammatical errors and been immensely helpful with plot development and other suggestions. I have no doubt this chapter reads much better thanks to AbstractError's help, so I thank her.

Thank you all so much for your continued views and support, and I very much hope that you enjoy this latest installment. I was very pleased that so many of you enjoyed Isane and Ukitake's interaction. I understand the constructive criticism that some of you were helpful enough to pose, and I hope you agree I address them better in this installment.

Chapter 9: Shattered Delusion

&

His gait was a passive meander. His hands folded comfortably in the pockets of his white hakama, his elbows arched fiercely to the side. His open jacket revealed a deep burn scar down the length of his chest, joined by the raised flesh of an improperly healed wound that ran up the left side of his chest to wrap around his shoulder.

"Where are you going Grimmjow?" His brows arched as he came to a slow stop, turning his gaze to acknowledge her for the first time. She stood directly to his left side an arm length away, casually leaning against the wall. Her left leg was propped up and her arms crossed beneath her chest.

His voiced matched his apathetic stare perfectly, lazy and slow as if he could barely sustain the effort, "What do you care, Quinta?"

She frowned, "What good will it do? You won't find any satisfaction in this."

She didn't flinch when his left hand exploded from his hakama, flexing fiercely into a deranged claw inches from her throat. His teal eyes burned as he snarled, "The only reason you're wearing that number on your back instead of me is because I refused it. I wouldn't hesitate a second to rip your throat out, woman."

She made no move, didn't even unfurl her arms as she coolly answered, "I am not your enemy."

He held her stare for a moment more before snorting in disgust, his hand falling limp back to his side, "You really are an annoying bitch, Neliel."

Her long green hair waved slightly as she pushed off the wall, coming too close for comfort, "Aizen-sama entrusted me with their safety. Go on and talk to him if you want to torture yourself, but if you even raise a hand against him you'd better be ready to kill me."

He looked at her closely, eyeing the jagged scar that ran down her face and the cracks in her mask. "I'm not the piece of shit Nnoitra was. I'll settle up with Kurosaki on even terms, nothing less."

He grimaced at the warm smile that broke out on her face, and shook his head in disbelief when her small gloved hands secured themselves around his left arm. She began leading him down the hall as if they were out on a stroll. "In that case, far be it for me to keep such close friends apart."

His teeth flashed as he ground them together and his eyes were closed as he muttered, "You're fucking deranged, woman."

&

Mayuri's eyes did not leave the screen as the door to his lab slid open. "Please, do come in Captain Ukitake. You'll forgive me for not standing, I don't have time to waste and this analysis is important."

"You're being unusually polite, Captain Kurotsuchi." Ukitake observed as he strode into the chamber. "If you're trying to put me at ease, rest assured you've managed the opposite."

"Yes, well." Mayuri chuckled a moment, "We all have our talents don't we, Captain?"

"No doubt. What is it you wanted to speak with me about?" His tone was measured and guarded.

"I believe 'need' is a more appropriate description." Mayuri's right hand closed into a fist as he rested his head on it. "After all, you were the one who convinced the Captain-Commander that all of my training regimens for Lieutenant Kotetsu must be approved by you."

Ukitake's eyes set into a fierce stare as he took a place next to Mayuri's chair, "Is this live?"

"Yes." Mayuri answered. "They are in one of my sturdier holding pens. I designed them with this kind of analysis in mind." The screen depicted a fierce sparring session between Nemu Kurotsuchi and Isane Kotetsu. Both women were fluid in their motions, displaying exceptional prowess with their blades. Isane's spiritual pressure was visible, she was obviously exerting it at full force, "Lieutenant Kotetsu continues to frustrate."

Ukitate cast a glance down on Mayuri, "It seems to me she has improved significantly."

Mayuri snorted, "Of course she's improved. Do you believe me incompetent?"

"Not incompetent." Ukitate assured him, "Misguided."

He sighed, choosing to let the remark pass, "As far as her skill with the four forms of combat goes she is far removed from what she was four months ago. However she is still lacking progress in the most vital area of growth for her to achieve Bankai."

"Her spiritual pressure hasn't changed?" Ukitake crossed his arms.

"Don't be absurd." Mayuri chided him, "It would be impossible for her spiritual pressure to stagnate so during such training. The problem is that it hasn't grown nearly enough. After these sessions I would expect an average shinigami's reiatsu to grow upwards of .5 percent. Lieutenant Kotetsu is maintaining this average level of growth when instead she should be hitting figures between five to ten percent."

Ukitake resisted the urge to roll his eyes, annoyed with Kurotsuchi's obsession over the fine details, "Am I correct to assume you have developed a solution?"

Mayuri's smile showed all of his teeth, and Ukitake tensed.

&

Sparks flew as their swords clashed into a lock. Both women were panting heavily and desperately straining their tired muscles, attempting to seize the advantage. Isane felt lightheaded, and Nemu continued to blur in and out of focus with every breath she fought to take.

The duel was reaching the twenty minute mark, a long time to engage an opponent of Nemu's skill even under ideal circumstances. However, in addition to trying to keep pace with Nemu's impressive strength, speed, and agility Isane had an added handicap.

"Focus, Lieutenant. Your reiatsu is slipping." Nemu's warning came on labored breath. The full force of Isane's spiritual pressure bit her skin with a harsh cold, causing her limbs to tremble and her body to constrict. Every breath she took stabbed her lungs with agony, and spilled frost from her mouth.

"I don't…I don't think I can keep this up much longer, Nemu." Isane's voice was a strained grimace that barely carried over the roar of her spiritual pressure.

"You can, Lieutenant. You must." Nemu reminded her.

Isane's eyes cringed as she exhaled into a pained yell. Her spiritual pressure surged to its peak as she pushed against Nemu with renewed vigor. Nemu struggled but in short order her sword was forced to the side, and Isane took immediate advantage.

Nemu gasped as Isane hooked her right leg behind her knees and threw her body weight forward, pitching her to her back with the full force of her reiatsu. The impact knocked the air from Nemu's lungs, and the crushing winds of Isane's spiritual pressure prevented her from drawing a breath.

Both women sagged in relief; as Isane finally relaxed, drawing in greedy breaths as their bodies uncoiled from the tension. "I think it's my match, Nemu." Isane panted with a small smile on her face.

"Indeed." Nemu agreed as she gently lifted Itegumo off her chest. The blade had easily been in position for a fatal blow to her neck had Isane been so inclined. Isane didn't resist, as Nemu helped her roll off, and flopped gracelessly onto her back, her limbs splayed wide.

"So how'd I do?" Isane asked breathlessly.

"I observed a .5 overall increase of your maximum output as well as a twelve second addition to your maximum time before fluctuating. A marked improvement."

Isane sighed, "But not enough."

Nemu was silent a moment, "According to my Captains' requirements I'm afraid that is an accurate assessment."

Static hissed through the air as the intercom came alive with Mayuri's voice, "Another exercise will begin in half an hour, prepare yourselves."

Isane sighed, "Every time I hear his voice my heart jumps, and I want to run as far as I can."

She was not surprised that Nemu choose to remain silent.

&

"Do you require assistance Captain Ukitake?" Mayuri could not help but let his amused leer reflect in his tone as he turned his chair to face the other Captain. The man was heaving with painful wracking coughs, holding himself up with his left hand on the edge of the console while his right covered his mouth.

A final set of awful hacks set trickles of red sliding between Ukitake's fingers. Mayuri's eyes narrowed as he rose from his seat, already reaching toward the fallen Captain with a syringe in his hand.

He halted when Jyushiro's left hand shot out and his eyes blazed, "I have no need of assistance from the likes of you, Kurotsuchi." His voice was hoarse and pained from the attack, and blood continued to trickle from his mouth.

"Be that as it may, you're contaminating my laboratory, I'm afraid I cannot tolerate that."

"Like I give a DAMN about your laboratory." Ukitake growled, "What in the world led you to believe I would even _consider_ letting you subject Isane to that kind of torture?"

Mayuri was no longer amused and his sneer denoted his aggravation, "What is it with you people? Hitsugaya, Kyoraku, and you fall over yourselves to coddle and protect the girl, depriving her of the natural evolution of her powers in some misguided effort to shield her from all pain. That may have been acceptable during the peace, but we are at war!"

Ukitake surged to his feet, towering over Mayuri and exerting his spiritual pressure with enough force to pin Mayuri back to his chair, "The natural evolution of her powers? Was that the end you were seeking when you put her to your sword!? Your BANKAI!?" He roared the last word as his spiritual pressure exploded, destroying screens and lights alike, and crunching consoles and machines with overwhelming, sheer power. Mayuri's knees simply buckled under the onslaught, and he found himself pinned, unable to even draw breath.

Mayuri's eyes flashed first with shock, then fury as his equipment continued to creak under the strain, throwing sparks and screaming alarms as they continued to crumble like tin. Ukitake's spiritual pressure was the crushing weight of the deep sea upon his chest, and the molten agony of lightning scorching his skin, driving his mind to accept the blackness edging his vision.

Mayuri refused to surrender and began pushing back with all the strength he could muster. A pale red compared to Ukitake's immaculate white, Mayuri's spiritual pressure coiled around him like a thin cloud. He lacked the raw power to match Ukitake's, but secured just enough relief to climb agonizingly back to his feet. His body twitched and screamed under the strain, sweat running down his face in rivers.

Ukitake raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised at Mayuri's tenacity. He knew he had more than sufficient power held in reserve to crush Mayuri into the floor like a pile driver, but held back.

"Your emotional attachments to the girl are a bane not a boon." Mayuri wheezed. "You fail to consider that she must endure the suffering to reach her full potential."

"Not that!" Ukitake shot back, "It will kill her. She barely survived it once, how will facing it again help her?"

Mayuri continued to struggle, but was forced to sink back down to one knee, "She continues to deny her own power because of her lack of resolve. Her failure to act deprived the Soul Society of one of its most powerful, its time she took responsibility for it!"

"What an audacious creature you are." Ukitake growled. "When have you ever taken _any_ responsibility for your own actions?"

Mayuri's stare twisted into defiant fury, "Spare me your self righteous indignation, Ukitake. I had more than my fill of that nonsense when I was condemned to the Maggot's Nest."

Ukitake paused for a moment, but finally relaxed his reiatsu. Mayuri was too proud to sag in relief. "I won't let you destroy her." Ukitake vowed. "You'll devise another solution."

"You know what the alternative is." Mayuri rose back to his feet. "Do you find that more appealing?"

Ukitake withdrew a cloth from his robes and began cleaning his hands, his cold stare never left Mayuri, "Shinigami have been achieving Bankai for thousands of years without drastic surgery or psychological torture. You and I both know that Isane can accomplish it as well."

Mayuri's fist clenched and his voice was strained with barely concealed exasperation, "At her current rate of growth it will be years before she achieves Bankai. We have mere months." His arms relaxed as his tone shifted, "Tell me Captain Ukitake, since you obviously have deluded yourself into believing you know how to unlock her Bankai, what alternative would _you_ suggest?"

Ukitake was silent for several long moments. He finally finished cleaning his hands and face and folded the handkerchief back into his robe. He was quiet, but fierce when he finally spoke, "You made your proposal. I have rejected it. Rest assured, I will be giving this matter _all_ the attention it deserves. If I develop any ideas I will be more than willing to share them. In the meantime…" It took two strides to get into Kurotsuchi's face. Mayuri didn't flinch, but his right hand closed reflexively around the hilt of his zanpakto. "You keep the hell out of Isane's dreams, or I'll kill you."

&

As soon as the portal slid open, she was assaulted by a buffet of wind that irritated the back of her throat, prompting several short coughs. Wincing with each breath as the tickle quickly grew into a burn.

"Don't complain." The voice was cold and unsympathetic. "Follow." Long white coattails rose gently into the air as he moved. Quick to catch up to his relaxed pace, she rubbed her sore throat with tiny slender fingers as she adjusted to the unnatural air. Swallowing several times on reflex, and she signed in unexpected relief when it cleared the burn.

She was finally able to register the strange smell clouding the air. She had long since grown used to the dull desert sands of Hueco Mundo, and the massive stone edifices of Las Noches but this was far different. The dull tang of antiseptics that she normally associated with hospitals and chemistry labs filled her with every breath, spawning a quickly growing nausea. While she normally thought of the smell as an unpleasant afterthought, this was strong enough to prompt her to lift a hand over her mouth and nose to seek relief.

He avoided the unnecessary declaration of their arrival. The short corridor had but one exit. A flick of his wrist tapped his index finger against the portal and it slid open obediently, once again buffeting her with a fierce wind that briefly tossed her hair and irritated her eyes. Thankfully her throat did not burn this time.

"Ah, Ulquiorra, how nice of you to bring me a guest. Kaname is dreadfully dull company, I'm sorry to say." The voice was soft and demure, well suited for his young and handsome face. His approach was nearly hypnotic, his golden eyes glinted with amusement and malice while his lips offered a deceptive smile, "It is truly a pleasure to finally meet you, Inoue Orihime." His gloved had sought out hers without permission and gently clasped their fingers. His head tipped in a short bow, but his eyes never left hers, uninhibited by the glasses framed by his mask remnant his stare shook her to the core. Her eyes widened as she struggled not to squirm under his intense scrutiny, and leave her clasped fingers relaxed.

Her voice was small and timid as she finally managed to utter, "And you are?"

His eyes widened dramatically as he released her hand to splay his fingertips over his heart, "Oh dear, how rude of me!" His mortified exclamation was immediately ruined by the arrogant curve that lifted his lips, and the glint that obscured his eyes behind his glasses. "Octava Espada," his voice was an easy drawl as he let his arm fall back to his side, "Szayel-Aporro Granz."

Her insides had long run cold, his presence was just as unsettling as Ulquiorra's but different. Ulquiorra's reiatsu was a perfect reflection of his nature; cold, detached, but omnipresent, stifling all life around him with his unrelenting and merciless gaze.

Szayel-Aporro's reiatsu was as warm as a sunray in comparison, but hungry, an insatiable lust that was controlled with scientific precision. It moved over her in pulses as if he were mapping every contour of her body, every crest and ebb of her own spiritual pressure. Her heart thundered in her ears as she struggled to maintain her composure against the violation.

She nearly gasped when Ulquiorra's voice breached the silence, "Enough. We have no time for your nonsense, Octava."

Szayel-Aporro's eyes flicked to Ulquiorra, the dangerous arch of his eyebrows and the angry clench of his jaw came and passed so fast that Inoue briefly wondered if she just imagined it. His hand flicked through his neck length pink hair as he turned back into the room, "Very well, _Cuarta_." His voice was smooth and controlled, unfailingly polite and courteous, but at the same time Inoue simply _knew_ that he was expertly masking murderous contempt.

"It's a shame that Ulquiorra is in no mood for conversation, young lady." Szayel-Aporro mused as he lightly grasped his left wrist behind his back. Inoue and Ulquiorra followed at a respectful distance as he began leading them into his lab. Inoue could not help but let her eyes wander to the various machines and consoles arrayed along the walls, and linger on several glass tubules that encased liquids pulsing with ambient energy. "It's been so long since I was able to properly entertain a guest. Our collaboration would have been most…enlightening."

Her fists clenched as a shudder passed through her.

"As it stands, while I am pleased by your visit, it will ultimately be a waste of our time." He announced the fact with absolute certainty, "Your powers of event rejection cannot fix what isn't broken. Your talents would be much better utilized on helping someone much higher up on the command…"

"Silence, Espada." Inoue failed to suppress her frightened scream at the furious tone of the interruption. She spun to find Kaname Tousen less than a stride away, the sheath of his zanpakto clutched in his left hand and his right hovering around the hilt. His right foot shifted forward as he bent his knees, ready to strike, and Inoue scrambled out of his path succeeding only in backing into Ulquiorra. She went rigid, unable to even blink as she was crushed between the cold steel of Ulquiorra's presence, and the relentless vice of Kaname's fury.

Szayel-Aporro in contrast snickered, "Have you no compassion for the poor creature, dear Kaname? You've frightened her half to death."

Kaname's thumb snapped up, and a sliver of light reflected harshly over the exposed tang of his blade, Inoue cringed. "She has nothing to fear from me, it is you who should cower. Remember your place, Octava. You would not appreciate a reminder from me."

Beads of sweat broke out on Inoue's forehead as she continued to tremble. Kaname's mouth was turned down into a scowl, and his jaw was rigid, his killing intent invaded every cell of her body. Her knees trembled, begging her to run, but the unflappable presence at her back held her in place, not offering even a measure of solace, but the promise of death if she dared move an inch.

Szayel-Aporro chuckled as he rested his right elbow on his left forearm, pushing his glasses further up his nose, "My, my. You've nearly convinced me that you're willing to draw, Kaname. Whatever would Aizen-sama say if he were here? Don't forget, without me, God…"

Her pupils contracted in tandem with Szayel-Aporro's. The scrape of Suzumushi leaving it's sheathe echoed in the back of Inoue's mind like a faint bell. Her eyes didn't even follow his movement, one instant he was poised for the strike, the next she was turning her gaze to find him crouched low in front of Szayel-Aporro, his sword arm full extended at the shoulder.

"Fool." Ulquiorra muttered derisively as he gently closed his eyes.

"Deluded insect." Kaname muttered darkly. "You are far from irreplaceable." A dull clank echoed in the lab as Suzumushi settled back in its scabbard.

A thin red line, distinctive against Szayel's white uniform, drawing a path from his right hip to his left shoulder, crossing over his left wrist and right elbow. His shocked eyes looked down at Kaname before a strangled gurgle erupted from his lips, spilling blood down his chin. His wound erupted, shaking his body as a shower of blood spattered the floor and walls. His left hand fell from the wrist, his right forearm quick to join it. Off balance, he fell to his back, his eyes flicked back and forth as he drowned in the pain, gasping.

Inoue finally remembered to breath, and tears fell freely down her face, turning red as they met blood. She sprang forward arms raised to her hair clips. She lurched to a stop when Kaname's left arm snapped up to block her path.

Her eyes shifted back and forth rapidly between Kaname's stoic stance and Szayel-Aporro's gently writhing form, her breathing hard and uneven. "Please." She begged. "He's dying."

"He doesn't deserve your tears, certainly not your kindness." His quiet voice answered her.

"That doesn't matter." She argued. His arm did not move for critical seconds and Szayel fell silent, in desperation Inoue screamed, "Aizen-sama ordered me to help him!"

"Hold your tongue, woman." Ulquiorra breathed as he reached for her.

"Ulquiorra." Kaname interrupted. "You're dismissed." He left his arm fell to his side and Inoue sprang forward, her shield snapping into place instantly as she sank to her knees beside the fallen Espada.

Ulquiorra stared at Kaname's back for a moment before letting his outstretched hand relax back into the pocket of his hakama, "Yes sir." He acquiesced as he turned away.

Szayel-Aporro coughed as his throat was cleared, his spilled blood rejected by Inoue's power. "Well." He wheezed meeting her gaze. "It seems I have use of your talents after all."

Her eyes squeezed shut as her heart clenched, "Please…just lie quiet."

&

Freshly bathed, Isane and Nemu sat in matching robes side by side on a long wooden bench. Nemu's dark hair was stretched down her back in tight strands, while Isane's hung close to her head save for the rebelliously long strands that trailed from her right temple and the nape of her neck.

"See?" Isane breathed as she worked her neck, slowly rotating her head to loosen the muscles, "Wasn't the bath much better than the chemical showers at the twelfth?"

Nemu's dark green eyes flicked to Isane for a moment before returning to stare at her hands regally folded over her thighs, "It was an interesting experience."

"Oh come now," Isane chided her as she began drying her hair with a towel. "Is that all you have to say about it? Don't you feel more relaxed? Less sore? Refreshed?"

"Well…" Nemu trailed off, "yes." She finally admitted as if she could scarcely believe it.

"I don't know why you sound so surprised." Isane remarked as she finished tying a towel around her hair. "It's a perfectly natural reaction."

"Forgive me. My Captain finds such topics irrelevant. I am…discouraged from exploring them." She answered softly.

"I see." Isane sighed. "Well, if you'd like, you can talk to me about things that Captain Kurotsuchi doesn't want to discuss."

A ghost of a smile lifted to her lips, "That would be acceptable."

Isane let out a soft laugh at Nemu's choice of words, before an idea struck her. "Nemu who taught you how to fashion your hair? I can't imagine that your Captain was very helpful."

"No, it wasn't him." Nemu agreed. "Captain Unohana tutored me in female hygiene. Caring for my hair was included in those lessons."

"Really?" Isane asked, her surprise managed to mask the ache her Captain's name invoked. "I never heard anything about that."

Nemu assured her with a nod, "When I was much younger, Captain Unohana would visit me after Captain Kurotsuchi secured me in my cell for the evening. She was adamant I not talk about the visitations to anyone, especially my Captain."

"I see." Isane's brain was starting to turn over, thinking back to when Nemu had been created. She faintly remembered a few instances when she had trouble sleeping, emerging from her quarters to spy her Captain entering the barrack grounds. "I think I remember. At the time I was worried about what she could be doing about at that late hour. She would have the saddest expression on her face, it would tear me up just to look at her."

Nemu turned her head to look at Isane, "Yes. She always did seem distressed when she departed. I was never able to ascertain what I did to offend her."

A cold dread began to build up deep inside Isane. "Would you…would you mind telling me more about when Captain Unohana visited you?"

"Is that wise? I can see this is upsetting you." She remarked.

"Oh, of course it's not." The lie sounded hollow even to her. "Please, I'd love to learn more about her. She's gone now, I'll never have the chance to find out any other way."

Nemu hesitated, letting her eyes fall back to her lap. Isane sighed before reaching for Nemu's folded hands, "Okay, I'm a bad liar. But I'd still like to know, even if you think it will upset me. I _need_ to know."

"Very well." Nemu finally whispered.

&

Mayuri growled in frustration as he surveyed the damage. Nothing was spared from Ukitake's childish outburst. It would take days to calibrate the replacement parts, days he could not afford to spare. He would have to relocate to the auxiliary lab. Far less than the ideal working conditions he had erected in his main lab, but still capable of accessing all of his files and fully equipped with the necessary tools.

"You must have really pissed him off." Akon remarked dryly as he folded his hands inside his sleeves. "I didn't know Ukitake had it in him for unrestrained violence."

"Oh, he does." Mayuri affirmed in annoyed clipped tones, "But this isn't a reflection of that. He knew exactly what he was doing when he destroyed my equipment. Petty, insolent man."

"I take it he didn't care for our idea?"

Mayuri lifted his eyes to the heavens-even Akon occaisionally irritated him with painfully obvious remarks, "Since you have time to waste with nonsense, go ahead and begin the mainframe maintenance we scheduled for tomorrow."

Akon sighed but knew it was fruitless to argue. His foot shot out in annoyance, knocking over a destroyed monitor as he turned to leave. He stopped in mid stride, a dark sploch on the floor caught his eye. "Sir? A contaminant."

Mayuri froze, but an excited grin slowly broke out on his face, "Classification?"

Akon bent down, managing to collect a few drops into a petri-dish. "Definitely blood. Ukitake attacked you?"

Lightning shot up and down Akon's spine in waves as he jerked back to his feet.

He had never in all his years of service heard Mayuri Kurotsuchi cackle so madly.


	10. The Worst Kind of Acting

Hey guys!

Little slower on this chapter than I would've liked, but it was very hard to write, and I kind of lost my drive for the plot. However with AbstractError's invaluable help (and jokes heaping 230 years of national guilt on my poor shoulders) We have what I think is a truly impressive chapter.

Thank you all for your continued support and constructive criticism. Please feel free to share some more after you've enjoyed this chapter. It's a longer one.

Chapter 10: The Worst Kind of Acting.

&

"We've been at this same song an' dance for so long now." His tone was lighthearted and easy, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Strange, been a year already. I guess time really does fly when yo' havin fun, eh? Problem is, I've got a lil' wager with Kaname. It's startin' to look like you're gon' cost me big."

A dry cough, "Tousen, a gambling man?" then a small smile, "For some reason I can't imagine him of all people gloating over a bet."

Gin Ichimaru snickered in good nature, "Oh, our dear Tousen is vainer than me. It's amazing really."

"I think you're imagining things." His voice was hoarse and dry. "Don't suppose I've earned some water?"

Gin wagged his finger, "Now Kisuke, you know the rules."

"Oh, so it's my first name now?" Urahara retorted.

"Yeah," Gin folded his hands in his robe, "Captain…oh former Captain of the 12th, is really too tiresome to keep up. Frankly, I'm a little surprised I've done it as long as I have. Besides, I'd say we've gotten to know each other very well over this last year, haven't we? Why, we're practically brothers."

"Aww, my heart is just swelling." Kisuke drawled. "Why don't you undo these shackles? I'll give you a big ol hug."

Gin's chuckle was sardonic and easy, "So much fun. Yo're the only person in this palace that's interestin' to talk to."

Kisuke's eyes hardened, "Laugh it up while you can."

Gin's lips only curved higher, "How scary. Yo' plannin' on starin' me to death, Kisuke?"

Kisuke slowly shook his head back and forth, "I'm really not sure how you're going to die, Gin, but you won't be wearing that stupid grin when it happens."

"Ahh, I see." Gin remarked as he approached. "Yo' thinkin' that smokin' hot catwoman of yo's is comin' to the rescue? I must say, that is a mighty fine catch yo' got with that one. Agile, flexible, flawless skin, criminal curves, and that chest?" Gin let out a slow whistle as he sank to his knees in front of Kisuke, "I get shivers just thinkin' bout all I'm gon' do ta her. Just between us guys, does she moan or purr?"

Gin didn't even flinch; his smile never wavered as Kisuke strained with all of his might to reach for his throat. His shackles clacked loudly as they snapped to tension, holding his wrists and elbows back, while securing his knees and ankles to the cold floor. His bare torso was littered with a cruel assembly of cuts, bruises, and burns. His face and neck fared no better, his left eye was swollen shut, and his hair was matted to his forehead, dark with blood and grit. His jaw was clenched, his whole body taut with rage and straining muscles. His exposed skin was turning crimson as he held his breath.

Finally, Kisuke sagged as he breathed, letting the chains of his shackles fall back to the floor. Gin wasted no time, "Guess that means I'll just have to find out fo myself. It'll be sooner rather than later."

Kisuke was breathing hard, but the stare from his good eye never wavered, "If you haven't caught her by now, you never will. You won't even find a trace of her, won't have any idea where she is until her blade is at your throat."

Gin snickered, "That's always been yo' problem Kisuke, underestimating us. Did you honestly believe that carrot top and his band of sandbox super friends ever had a chance of recovering little Rukia from us in Soul Society? That they'd be successful in storming Las Noches to recover the princess? That yo' feline can even move a mote of sand under our canopy without us noticin'?" Gin stood to tower over Kisuke's hunched form, "For such a smart guy, yo' sure are a slow learner. We've been beating yo' for a hundred years Kisuke; it's time to throw in the towel. Tell me what I want to know, an' this will all end."

Kisuke smiled, "I've told you a thousand times, I can't fix it."

Gin let out a dramatic sigh and his smile died down to a flicker, "Here we go with that song again, eh?" A swift kick caught Kisuke under the chin, he grunted as he fell to his back. "A guy smart as yo' can't fix what yo' broke? Now how does that make any sense?"

Kisuke's laugh was deep and boisterous, "It took me a hundred years to figure it out. There's no way I'll ever be able to fix it in time. Sorry to say Gin, but you're all _fucked_."

Kisuke continued to chuckle as Gin watched. His smile finally died as he withdrew his arm from his sleeve.

His hand wasn't empty.

"Shoot to kill, Shinso."

&

His fingers were a blur of motion, graceful and assured, as they danced over keys. It was almost soothing, the melodic tones that sang with each stroke. Far different than the clacking of a normal keyboard, Szayel-Aporro Granz was conducting a masterpiece of mathematical precision. Hauntingly beautiful, but frightening at the same time.

She could tell as she watched him. Each key was being chosen with exact detail, to serve a specific purpose. Information flew before his eyes far too quickly for her to track, but his stare absorbed it all without any hesitation or doubt. She would almost describe him like a dry sponge soaking water, but that wasn't right. Sponges were indiscriminate, taking in all they could as fast as possible without any regard for content. His appetite was voracious and unending but controlled. Not a second was wasted, and not an iota of information was frivolous or irrelevant.

His expression was schooled, a neutral stare, and his back was straight. Everything about his posture and pace suggested he was in his element, a master of his domain. Yet despite it all, the controlled posture, the focused stare, and the inhuman speed of his analysis, Orihime could tell something was amiss. It was too perfect, too controlled, and too immaculate.

Within the first hour she had realized it was a farce, that he was hard at work at something other than the task Kaname set him too. The pace was simply too furious, and his every action, controlled to the finest detail, screamed that he knew he was being watched.

It was the worst kind of acting, and Inoue wondered how he had managed to fool Ulquiorra and Tousen for so long. Ulquiorra had explained to her what was done to him, poisoned, so that his mind endured countless millennia of torture. He had felt nothing but the agony of a blade resting on his heart, with only his own voice to keep him company. A chilling and exacerbating loneliness punctuated only by the incessant flare of an unimaginable pain. Unable to move, unable to scream, frozen for what literally felt like thousands of years.

Her voice was small and timid, barely able to carry over the sound of his keys, "You haven't been able to cope, have you? You can't let go of the pain."

He controlled his reaction almost instantly, but she didn't miss the tension of his shoulders, the clench of his jaw, and how his hands jerked to a painful halt. He returned to his work, easily slipping back into his routine, aware that he failed to fool her but hoping to keep the remainder of his audience oblivious.

His tone was amused, as if he were talking to someone so beneath his talents he considered it a charity to explain. She knew instantly he was merely putting up a screen, "I assure you my dear, I am none the worse for wear after my condition."

She carried on, ignoring his rebuttal, "I can't help you."

He chuckled, but it sounded pained and forced, "Why apologize? I told you when you first arrived that you can't fix what isn't broken." He locked his fingers together, diverting all of his attention to her, "Ulquiorra and Kaname are rather simple creatures; both equally assured that their superior senses give them true insight. They're idiots, the both of them."

He swung his chair to face her, letting his left elbow fall on his desk and support his leaning head while casually crossing his legs. "What I wouldn't give for Ulquiorra's left eye. Can you imagine what a man of my talents could do with such a flawless instrument? It's utterly wasted on him."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

His smile showed his upper row of teeth, "So he hasn't told you yet? I'm surprised." He took on a tone of authority, clearly enjoying the opportunity to display his knowledge, "Ulquiorra's left eye is extraordinary. Nothing can escape it. He's capable of counting the individual reishi particles of a person's reiatsu if he concentrates hard enough. It even records everything it sees and reproduces them faithfully down to the last detail."

"I never realized." Orihime admitted.

"It's no secret." Szayel-Aporro swung back to face his screen, "Unfortunately for Ulquiorra, and by circumstance anyone forced to deal with Ulquiorra, seeing something and understanding it are two entirely different affairs."

"I'm sorry?"

He rolled his eyes, "Come now Inoue, you're smarter than that." He waved his hand in a grand arc to encompass the screen before him, "Take these formulations for example. You can see them just as clearly as I can. You can discern it's a language comprised of symbols to stand in for variables and computations, but do you truly understand any of it?" He continued by directing her attention to the ceiling, "You can see that the lights provide illumination, but do you understand how they work? Where they draw power from?"

Her cheeks colored a bit under his gaze as she despondently shook her head in the negative.

"It's the same for Ulquiorra, just on an immeasurably larger scale than he would ever admit." He assured her, his voice smooth as silk. "It doesn't matter that he can see every symbol on this screen since he doesn't understand what they mean. He deludes himself into believing he has everything in this world figured out. What he doesn't understand, he writes off as nonexistent." His yellow eyes ran up and down her body very slowly, causing her to squirm uncomfortably in her chair, he only smiled in response. "I imagine that's why he finds you so vexing."

Her stomach went cold and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, trying to make herself smaller, to disappear under his gaze, "I don't know what you mean." She protested.

"Please, all of Las Noches is whispering about it. You're the talk of the town. The princess that thawed the cold heart of our resident drone. It really is quite amusing to see Ulquiorra so perplexed by the most basic of emotional responses."

"But…he doesn't have think if me like that. He hates me." Was Inoue's meek reply.

"I can't say I blame you for denying the obvious." Szayel-Aporro returned easily. "I imagine its rather intimidating being loved by that impotent husk of undeserved arrogance." His tone turned conspiratorial, "Or is it you're intimidated because you love him in return?"

Her eyes went wide, "No!" Inoue practically shouted. "No." She repeated much softer as Szayel-Aporro's lips curled into a feral smile. He looked as if he wanted to press the issue but was interrupted.

"Why have you stopped working?" Her heart seized at the unexpected voice behind her, and she nearly leapt from her chair in fright. Szayel-Aporro's eyelids merely drooped as he clearly fought back an exasperated sigh. "We don't have any time to waste."

"What is this 'we' business, Kaname?" Szayel-Aporro asked with disdain. "I hadn't realized you were actually contributing anything to this project, other than your winning personality of course." His voice turned dry with sarcasm.

Kaname Tousen's steps were as silent as usual as he finally stopped a few yards behind them. His voice was quiet and reserved as he breached the silence, almost as if he regretted having to speak at all, "I'm here to keep you on task, Espada. You exist only to serve Aizen-sama." Szayel-Aporro's eyebrows arched fiercely, "Every moment you waste on your own amusement with the girl is a sin against Aizen-sama. You should be grateful for the opportunity for penance and complete the project without delay."

"Trust me, Kaname." Szayel-Aporro's voice was slick with honey even as his face was hard with fury, "I know exactly what I owe to Aizen-sama, and I will repay that debt without fail."

If Tousen could only see his face he'd know the threat for what it was, but as it stood only Inoue could appreciate the murderous hatred as clear as day written all over Szayel-Aporro's features.

"_He blames them for what happened. He hates them all_." She realized with a start.

"Miss Inoue." Kaname called her attention back to him. "Have you completed your treatment?"

Inoue shot a nervous glance to Szayel-Aporro, who only smiled and leisurely flicked his gaze towards Kaname, a silent assent for her to answer. "Forgive me, Commander Tousen." Inoue started. "I cannot help him."

"Can you not merely reject the event that has damaged him?" Szayel-Aporro's fists clenched tightly, and Inoue winced as he broke their stare and turned back to his screen.

"Not anymore. I need a focus in order to heal. Battle wounds are simpler. I can clearly see what needs to be fixed." She began. "Granz-Sama was poisoned, and the poison had long run its course before I was asked to help him. If I was there at the time, if I could have seen what the poison was physically doing to him, I could have used that to focus my powers and reject the event."

"Can you not see the continuing effects of the poison? Is that not sufficient to focus?" Kaname asked.

"What continuing effects would those be I wonder?" Szayel-Aporro mused aloud.

"You think we asked Miss Inoue to treat you by chance, Granz?" Kaname's question was obviously rhetorical. "You've made no progress at all. You've merely put on a show for our benefit."

Szayel-Aporro's laugh was remarkably convincing, it sent shudders running up and down Inoue's spine. "Oh forgive me, Kaname," Szayel-Aporro begged with labored breath as his mirth escaped him, "all this time I hadn't realized you had such a talented comedian hiding underneath that pompous self-righteousness!"

"You may think yourself clever for attacking the girls insecurities when she discerned your deception," Kaname returned easily, "But I am not soft enough to be blinded by such inept provocation. You have failed, Granz."

Szayel-Aporro erupted to his feet and pointed a harsh finger at Kaname, "Don't stand there and pretend you can understand even the most mundane and simplistic aspects of my techniques, Tousen! The Hougyoku is the single most complex construct of reishi particles in _existence_. It isn't as simple as finding the right equation or identifying an unknown variable. It takes time."

"Time you've spent retraining yourself in the knowledge you've lost." The retort struck home, and Szayel-Aporro cringed. "How many millennia passed for you, Szayel-Aporro? Ten? Ten thousand? Were you even able to remember how to add when you were finally released from your punishment? Or was your mind too clouded with oblivion to dredge up even your most simplistic and mundane techniques?"

Inoue grew more frightened with every word, as Szayel-Aporro's stare continued to deteriorate. His pupils contracted, his jaw clenched with violent force, and his whole body went rigid, his arms shaking as his fists closed with enough power to draw blood.

Kaname turned to Inoue, "Thank you Miss Inoue. You've been extremely helpful. Now we know for certain." He paused, "The Octava is useless to us."

Szayel-Aporro's breathing was ragged as he struggled to contain the fury and hatred broiling inside him. The part of him that still loved his life, which argued for self-preservation, beseeched him to hold back.

"What a pitiful creature you've become, Octava." Tousen continued, "I could see it the first day you began this project."

Inoue's rising anxiety was clouding her mind, but a confused thought struck her, _"Has he known this whole time?"_

Kaname continued his condemnation, "Kurotsuchi didn't spare you from death. He just granted you the most appropriate one imaginable. He erased your memory, your pride, and your self-proclaimed 'perfect existence'. What are you now, but an empty shell?"

Orihime's eyes widened, her breath hitched, afraid that Szayel-Aporro would lose himself and attack in a suicidal rage. Szayel-Aporro surprised her, and Tousen lifted an eyebrow himself.

Szayel-Aporro's fists uncurled, his muscles loosened, and a small smile graced his eerily calm features. "Oh Kaname," He breathed in a whisper. "There won't be any excuses for you to execute me. You'll never have reason or chance to draw on me again. My every waking thought and effort from this moment on will be dedicated to proving you _dead_ wrong."

&

The cherry trees of squad 8's courtyard were envied by many Shinigami. A rarity in the soul society whose cost simply didn't justify an expenditure by the Gotei 13. Fortunately, Captain Kyoraku's personal pockets were deep enough to accommodate the trees, and his good grace extended an open invitation to most seated officers to enjoy the courtyard year round. The blossoms were not due to bloom for weeks, but the trees provided a welcome respite for Isane and Nemu from the cold pragmatic walls of the Bureau of Research and Development.

"I was in my fourth year the first time Captain Unohana visited me." Nemu reminisced as they walked leisurely, side by side. "My Captain created me to demonstrate his prowess with Gigai and Gikon, and to advocate his proposal of replacing active duty Shinigami with more like me."

Isane's brow rose, "I can't say it surprises me that Captain Kurotsuchi would think of such a thing, but I would think he would be smart enough to realize there would be no warm reception for the idea."

"He had just assumed the titles of Captain and President of Research and Development earlier that year. If you'll recall, Soul Society lost six Captains, three lieutenants, and both leaders of the Kido Corps in a single incident. My Captain presented me in a meeting to demonstrate that formidable and entirely obedient Shinigami could replace those loses at a fraction of the investment in time and resources that training replacement Captains entails. From a purely pragmatic viewpoint his presentation was quite convincing."

"But he was still shot down by the other Captains." Isane guessed easily.

Nemu nodded, "Indeed. Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake were quite incensed by the proposal. The Captain-Commander's presence was…unsettling to say the least. I remember Captain Unohana's reaction most prominently though."

"Why was that?" Isane asked, enthralled by Nemu's tale.

"The other Captains were not distressed until after my practical demonstration when Captain Kurotsuchi made his proposal. Captain Unohana was clearly agitated from the moment she saw me." Nemu explained.

"_Why in the world would she react so badly to Nemu?" _Isane mused to herself. She opened her mouth, determined to keep Nemu talking, "What do you mean when you say practical demonstration?"

"Simple tests of strength and endurance. I shattered several stone blocks with my bare hands and was required to remain standing under my Captain's spiritual pressure." Nemu's eyes flicked to Isane as she took a breath, "As my body resembled a girl of 13 years, the tests were effective in demonstrating my constitution."

Isane's head tilted to the side, "Didn't you say you were only four years old?"

"Yes." Nemu confirmed, "I did not experience a typical growth cycle. I had finished maturing in my sixth year."

Isane was visibly disturbed, halting as she exclaimed, "He denied you your childhood?"

Nemu held her gaze impassively, and left Isane wondering if she had someone offended her, "Interesting." At Isane's puzzled look Nemu elaborated, "That was Captain Unohana's first comment as well." Nemu resumed her pace and Isane followed, a deep sadness overcoming her. "What you may not realize is, Captain Kurotsuchi did not deny me a childhood."

"What else could you call it?" Isane asked.

"Gikon and Gigai research is heavily regulated, as you may be aware." Isane confirmed the notion with a nod, "As a result the techniques are limited in several aspects. Captain Kurotsuchi was able to surpass those limitations. As far as I am aware, I am the only artificial being within the Soul Society that was ever capable of growth. I am grateful to my Captain for the opportunity to experience it."

"But Nemu," Isane argued. "There's more to having a healthy childhood than physically growing into an adult."

"You continue to surprise me lieutenant." Nemu responded, "Captain Unohana reiterated the same point to me several times over the course of her visits."

Isane smiled softly at that, but then frowned in confusion. Why had Captain Unohana never mentioned her visits to Nemu? "So the visits began after you were introduced at the Captain's meeting?"

"Immediately after, actually." Nemu corrected. "As I mentioned, Captain Unohana was distressed the moment I entered the chambers. At the conclusion of the meeting she beseeched Captain Kurotsuchi for an audience."

&

Decades earlier…

A young girl struggled to keep pace with the man in front of her. Her dark hair reached past her shoulders, and covered her forehead with bangs. She was adorned in the simple smock of the Bureau of Research and Development with customary black Hakama. Her deep green eyes were alive with anxiety as she continually shifted her gaze from the man's back to the floor in front of her, constantly measuring the exact distance she had been instructed to maintain behind him.

His stride was agitated and clipped. His tabi stamped a distinct path down the walkway, alerting everyone crossing his path to make way. His exposed skin was unnaturally white, his head crowned in blue hair atop his scalp, but naked beneath it. In place of ears, golden cones extended inches from his head.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, a moment please!" The voice was hitched, as if unused to calling with such volume. The girl squeaked, unable to stop herself from bumping into him as he planted his feet and instantly halted,

She stammered for a moment when he leveled his angry yellow eyes on her and shook his head as if in disbelief, "My…my sincerest apologies, Captain Kurotsuchi!" She called with desperation in her tone as she bowed low at the waist.

"Not so loud girl," He chastised her as he ushered her behind him with a hand on her shoulder. "Mind your surroundings."

"Yes sir." She breathed as she allowed him to lead her. When she oriented herself forward again she looked up into the saddest blue eyes she had ever witnessed in her four years. Retsu Unohana was wearing a small smile, but her gaze was filled with pain and grief. Nemu's stomach twisted and her cheeks colored as she averted her gaze.

"Mind your manners, Nemu." Kurotsuchi demanded. His tone demonstrated he expected better from her, and still carried the bitter undercurrent of his anger from the Captain's meeting.

"Oh no, that's fine, she's just shy." Unohana protested. Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed, her voice, normally so quiet and refined was noticeably shaking. Her lips trembled for a moment as she held his gaze, as if fighting back emotions straining to break free. She looked away as she clasped her hands, unable to keep his stare.

Kurotsuchi puzzled over her unusual behavior a moment longer before remarking, "You wished to discuss something, Captain Unohana?"

"Yes," She affirmed with a small nod, still refusing to meet his eyes, "I was hoping you might grant me the opportunity to examine little Nemu." Her smile actually widened to a genuine length when Nemu blushed deeper and took another step to hide her face behind Mayuri. "I'd appreciate the opportunity to learn more about her."

"Oh?" Mayuri asked. His tone was guarded but eager, as if suspected he wouldn't like what he was about to hear but hopeful for a chance to impress her with his creation. "You neglected to offer any support for my proposal in the meeting Captain, why the interest?"

She paused for a moment, as if considering the best way to express herself. Communication with Mayuri Kurotsuchi was vastly more complicated for her than with any other Captain. "Well, there are several reasons, actually." She began. "I'd like to confirm she is in good health and that all of her needs are attended to."

Mayuri's stare expressed his incredulity. He clearly suspected she was not being completely honest, "I assure you Captain, there is no need for you to confirm Nemu's health." His tone became a bit lighter as he continued to brag, "She is protected against all known diseases and poisons. She is exercised frequently, her nutritional intake is precisely controlled, and her education is being pursued vigorously."

"I have no doubt." Unohana finally met his stare, and her eyes hardened to a degree. Her voice remained soft and courteous, but an air of tension seemed to surround her, "Nevertheless, I would appreciate it if you indulged me, as a courtesy."

He remained silent for several moments as he studied her. This time she did not falter under his gaze, "It will be far easier to change my opinion regarding your proposal if you're more accommodating, Captain Kurotsuchi."

He opened his hands as he shrugged, "Very well, Captain. Shall we schedule an appointment?"

"Why don't you let me entertain Nemu as my guest for dinner this evening?" She asked.

&

"I was very nervous about my appointment with Captain Unohana." Nemu admitted. "It was the first time I would be allowed to take a meal outside of the Bureau. In fact, it was only the second time I had been allowed _out_ of the Bureau. I had never been asked to interact with individuals aside from my Captain."

"I can understand why you'd be nervous." Isane assured her. "But that must have passed after you arrived."

"I'm afraid it only got worse." The response surprised Isane. "Captain Unohana was polite of course. Unfortunately, I did not even know how to react to her generosity. My training with my Captain up to that point affected me to be anxious and distressed when I could not answer queries. Even innocent questions, like if I would enjoy a piece of candy were distressing. I had no idea that candy even existed, how could I know if I would like one or not?"

"All throughout that evening, even though Captain Unohana was unfailingly courteous, my anxiety never left me. She was so strange to me, as near an opposite to Captain Kurotsuchi as I have ever seen." Nemu's eyes seemed to be staring into the distance, not focusing on anything in particular, lost in her own reminiscence.

Isane waited on baited breath, Nemu had never sounded so vulnerable, so sincere.

"I was not yet educated in discerning emotional responses. I didn't have the language to describe what I observed in Captain Unohana at the time. She performed all of the actions an accommodating host could be expected to entertain a small girl. She was patient, she insisted I walk beside her, a difficult adjustment for me to make. She held my hand and let me lead her through her own home, answering every question I had without chastising me for irrelevant thoughts."

"I don't understand." Isane's voice was pained, "What was wrong?"

"She was just so sad." Nemu was quiet and despondent. "The whole time, even when she was smiling or laughing to indulge me, I could see it in her eyes. Something I was doing, something I never learned was driving her to absolute despair. By the end of dinner she was crying, all the while wearing that smile." She stared at Isane then, her voice hinted at panic and anxiety, a stunning combination for her usual monotone, "I never wanted to offend her Lieutenant, I promise. I did everything I could to behave appropriately; I tried my best to meet her expectations. I engaged in every activity she asked of me, even though I knew my father would be furious if he found out."

Isane forgot to breathe. Nemu never referred to him as her father, never apologized so desperately. How long had this confusion, this sorrow been eating at her?

"My efforts were in vain." Nemu breathed as she turned her eyes to the ground, "No matter how hard I tried to please her, I failed every time. Every time." She insisted again.

Nemu opened her mouth to speak again, but Isane couldn't take anymore. She tensed as if she expected a blow, but went completely rigid when Isane's arms closed around her. "That's enough of that." She commanded gently. "You never failed Captain Unohana, Nemu. Never."

"Then why?" She asked plaintively.

"We're going to find out." Isane promised.

&

The throne room of Las Noches betrayed a somber mood. Only four individuals stood within the massive space, but the sheer power radiating off them was stifling. Of course, only one of them sat, his right ankle resting leisurely atop his left knee. His smile was serene, and his shoulders relaxed as he regarded his most trusted subordinates.

"Gin, has our dear friend changed his opinion?" His voice was assured and easy, completely confident.

"Fraid not." He chuckled abashedly as he scratched the back of his head; "Still just tellin' jokes if yo' can believe it. Finally got a bit carried away and gave im a hard punch line myself." His arms straightened and his grin grew larger, "I may have been a little overzealous."

Aizen closed his eyes. His tone did not change, but his spiritual pressure seemed to tense, as if ready to strike, "You didn't kill him, I trust?"

"Close thing, that." Gin admitted sheepishly, "But no, he'll live. It'll be a while before he's ready for another conversation though."

Aizen's spiritual pressure did not relax as he slowly shifted his gaze to Tousen, maintaining the threat.

"Forgive me Aizen-sama," Kaname begged as he fell to one knee, "but I have failed you as well. The Octava Espada is beyond salvage, his condition has gone untreated for far too long. Not even Inoue Orihime could restore him."

"And you, Ulquiorra? Do you concur with Kaname?" The question was rhetorical, and the Cuarta Espada knew it.

He too fell to his knee and bowed his head, "I am prepared to accept any punishment for my failure to uncover the Octava's deception sooner, Aizen-sama."

Aizen's teeth seemed to gleam as he demonstrated his amusement, "Granz deceiving you, Ulquiorra? You've disappointed me."

The chamber echoed with the violent scrape of Ulquiorra's zanpakto leaving it's scabbard, none of the former Captains even flinched. The tip of his blade rested on his stomach. Ulquiorra did not raise his head, but his voice never wavered, "Command me, and I will exact penance, my lord."

Aizen casually waved the offer away with only two fingers, ignoring Gin's amused chortles, "I have no need of your life, Ulquiorra. You will atone for this error in my service, or you will never stand before me again."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra made the vow with a rare edge of passion in his voice, but his eyes were simply lifeless as he lifted his head. His zanpakto settled back into its scabbard as he followed Aizen's bid to rise. Kaname joined him.

"The deterioration is accelerating." Aizen made the declaration without a hint of anxiety, even as his gaze fell to the tubular casing at his right arm. The jewel resting within it was a clear geometric shape with a perfect sphere resting within it. Beneath the exterior, countless twisters of black reiatsu churned violently, feeding off each other, rotating faster with each passing second. Tiny flashes erupted between the storms, punctuating the disturbances with mesmeric shows of light. "As you have all shown me I cannot count on you for this task, I have decided on your replacements. It's time to add to our collection."

All three subordinates reflexively cast their glances to the left of the throne. Opposite the Hougyoku case, thinner tubule rods rose from the floor. Arrayed in rows so the rods farthest apart and smallest in height began in front, tapering off to sets closer and taller in the rear, they supported a collection of four impressive objects resting horizontally.

A cleaver as tall as a man wrapped in bandages lacking both hilt and guard.

A curved Nodachi sheathed in blue, the tsuba was round, and the hilt weaving was red.

A katana.

A walking cane.

"Ulquiorra, you have three weeks to plan and lead the effort to escort two guests to me. They are to be in health sufficient to work within days of their arrival. Any delay longer than that would be…disappointing." His voice was gentle in delivering the command, not even casting emphasis on his last word, but there was no mistaking the warning.

Ulquiorra's right hand covered his chest, "I understand, sir. Who do you require be brought before you?"

"Two dear friends, both the best remaining experts in their fields not currently residing within our walls." Aizen's lips curled into a small smile, "Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and Isane Kotetsu."

"It shall be done, Aizen-sama. May I have your permission to command the Espada for this task?"

Aizen was silent a moment, "Barragan will remain in Las Noches. My other Espada, all Fracciones, and the Numeros are at your disposal."

"Thank you, Aizen-sama."

Aizen's eyes gently closed in place of acknowledging Ulquiorra with a nod, "Dismissed, Ulquiorra."

The Cuarta's coattails flapped as he wasted no time excusing himself.

"Things are gon' get much more interestin' round here." Gin announced with glee.

"I wonder, Kaname." Aizen focused his eyes on Tousen as he lifted a hand to his temple. "How did Szayel-Aporro deceive you so? I did not imagine him that talented a performer."

"He is a deceitful creature, Aizen-sama." Tousen defended himself. "Unworthy of serving you. He should have reported his ineptitude a year ago."

Sosuke Aizen was silent, and Kaname Tousen stood rooted in place. His chest rose and fell with easy breathing but everything else was completely frozen.

"Gin." Aizen's voice was easy with camaraderie. "Escort Inoue Orihime to me."

Tousen sucked in a breath, and Aizen's smile showed his teeth. "From now on she will have no contact with anyone other than us. Its time I rewarded her efforts by taking her into my confidence."

"Sho' thing." Gin replied as he too left the chamber, shooting a final smug glance at Kaname on his way out.

"Are you certain that you only discovered Szayel-Aporro's deception recently, Kaname?" Aizen asked in a conciliatory tone. "Did you perhaps harbor suspicions earlier?"

Kaname's voice was barely a whisper as he answered, "No Aizen-sama, I was not certain until days ago."

"Of course." Aizen agreed with a serene smile as he lowered his right hand to the arm of his throne. "Because if you harbored sincere doubts about Szayel-Aporro you would have never let the Hougokyo deteriorate so severely. You would never let something so dangerous jeopardize our goals…_my_ goals would you, Kaname?"

"Never, Aizen-sama." Kaname swore passionately. Aizen was silent again, his eyes alert and focused…on the thin bead of sweat rolling down from Tousen's temple.

Aizen's eyes closed gently.

Tousen's eyes bulged behind his visor as Aizen's spiritual pressure crashed upon him with the weight of a mountain. His knees simply shattered upon impact with the floor, and a strangled cry of pain erupted from his lips. His visor shattered, and Tousen screamed as shards dug harshly into the skin of his face, and into his sightless eyes, "I'm sorry, Kaname, I can't quite hear you." The weight only increased, forcing Tousen to support himself on his palms, and literally constricting his blood vessels, starving his entire body of breath.

"My sincerest apologies, Aizen-sama!" Tousen ground out, desperately. "I have no excuse for my failure! Please, take my life as penance!"

Aizen openly chuckled before releasing Kaname, leaving him a broken, panting husk before him. "My dear friend, your life is not yours to offer. It is already mine. You seem to have forgotten that. You also seem to have forgotten that lying to me is…unhealthy."

Kaname started to protest but Aizen interrupted, "Don't compound your sin, Kaname. You knew that Granz was incapable of the task I put to him months ago. I asked Gin for Inoue to offer you a chance to confess your sin. You did so beautifully, even as you spilled more lies from your lips."

Kaname's forehead sank to the ground, his resolve and composure shattered as he confirmed Aizen's suspicions.

"You made a very poor decision betting on Szayel-Aporro's recovery and success, Kaname. You have lost my trust, but I am forgiving."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." Tousen cried, his voice completely broken from his characteristic discipline. He was openly weeping in guilt and pain. "More forgiving than I deserve."

"Rest easy, Kaname." Aizen intoned softly, his eyes closed. "My mercy is boundless for those who ask for it. Do you wish for mercy, Kaname?"

"I do, Aizen-sama." He begged piteously. "With all my soul."

Aizen's right hand lifted to gently caress his temple with a loosely closed fist. He reveled in it, and his smile was pure rapture, "Granted."

&

I think this is my favorite chapter.

How about you guys?


	11. When Hope is Evil

Hey Guys,

Sorry this took a little longer than normal, but I think you'll enjoy it all the more as Abstract and I were very careful in editing it.

We've got some heavy action coming up soon, this will be one of the last plot development chapters before some exciting action.

Please read and enjoy, and if its not too much trouble, leave a comment as well.

Chapter 11: When Hope is Evil

&

Jyushiro Ukitake sighed despondently, his eyes half lidded as he lowered his tea cup to its dish. At first he had been delighted that Isane requested his company for lunch. It was the first social invitation she had extended since she discovered he'd voted to relieve her of duty. It was a pleasant winter day in the Seireitei, with a cloudless sky and a comfortable chill in the air, and the food Isane had prepared was certainly enjoyable; Ukitake failed to savor the meal all the same.

"You haven't said two words to me since we sat to eat." He finally observed. "You haven't even looked me in the eye."

"I know." She admitted with a trace of guilt in her tone. She did not meet his gaze as she continued, "There's something I need to ask you about…but I'm not sure where to start."

Now he was worried. "What happened!? Has Kurotsuchi done something to you?"

She shook her head sadly, "Nothing more than the usual. I'm worried about Nemu."

He lifted an eyebrow, and his confusion brought him down from the rush of panic, "What's wrong with Nemu?" He acknowledged her incredulous stare abashedly, "I mean besides the obvious."

She answered him with a question, "Did you know that Retsu visited her when she was just a little girl?"

"Yes." Ukitake admitted without hesitation. He took some more tea before he elaborated. "All of us were disturbed that Kurotsuchi wanted to mass an artificial Shinigami army, but Retsu was more concerned about Nemu herself. She wanted to make sure that Kurotsuchi was treating her appropriately."

"I can't imagine Retsu approved of Nemu's living conditions." Isane protested.

"None of us did." Ukitake confirmed. "Unfortunately, the law was quite clear on the subject. False bodies and mod souls are the property of their creators. For better or worse, as long as Kurotsuchi wasn't using her as a tool to breach the peace of the Soul Society he could do as he liked with her."

"No matter how badly he abused her." Isane ground out bitterly.

"Yes."

"It's disgusting. She's a person, not a piece of property. There has to be some way to help her."

"You'll get no argument from me, but trust me when I say it's better than the alternative." Ukitake warned her.

Isane's horrified stare bored into him, "What do you mean by that? What alternative?"

"Central 46 passed a recall on Gikon almost a hundred years ago, Isane." Ukitake reminded her, "They wanted Nemu destroyed with the rest of them."

Isane's mind blanked trying to process that, trying to fathom how any reasonable beings could condemn such an innocent girl as Nemu to death.

"Both Kurotsuchi and Retsu fought very hard against the sentence. I think it was the only time they voluntarily collaborated…on anything. Retsu brought a great deal of influence to bear, and even solicited the Captain-Commander's support." Ukitake finally smiled, "obviously she was successful."

"Was…" Isane had to swallow to work moisture back into her throat. "Was Nemu ever made aware of Central 46's decree?"

A sad smile graced Ukitake's features as he lowered his gaze, "Yes. She was barely five years old. They demanded that Kurotsuchi bring her before them, and they pronounced sentence."

"Monsters." Isane finally muttered. Ukitake didn't argue.

Ukitake managed to take a few bites, hoping the uncomfortable silence would pass. He eventually realized that Isane needed a bit of prodding and made an effort to break the tension, "I know you've been spending more time with Nemu, but Kurotsuchi mistreating her isn't exactly a new development. What brought this on?"

She actually bore a wistful smile, "A bath, if you can believe it."

Isane actually laughed softly when Ukitake's cheeks colored, "Thinking bad thoughts, Captain of Squad 13?"

He cleared his throat as he wiped his forehead with a small towel, "You know me better than that."

"Oh, I do." She affirmed amusedly, but her voice sobered instantly when she elaborated. "It was really such an innocent question. I never would have thought that it would have led to this. We were just drying off when it struck me: Who taught Nemu how to dress her hair?"

Ukitake's brow rose slightly as he took it in, "That's actually a good point. It never occurred to me before. Kurotsuchi sure as hell didn't do it."

Isane continued, "So, Nemu told me. It was Retsu."

Now Ukitake's brow furrowed in confusion, "When did Retsu do that?"

"During her visits to Nemu." Isane answered.

He paused for a few moments, his evident confusion sparking anxiety within Isane, "I don't think so." Ukitake argued gently. "Kurotsuchi only authorized four or five visitations, and aside from that first dinner, he supervised the rest of them personally."

Now Isane was confused as well, "So you didn't know either? About Retsu visiting Nemu in her cell after hours?"

Ukitake's head actually jerked in surprise, "Nemu told you this?"

"Of course." Isane acknowledged. "You don't think she was lying, do you?"

"No." Ukitake lifted a hand to his chin as his eyes narrowed in thought. "It's just that Kurotsuchi rose holy hell in protest whenever anyone tried to see Nemu. Retsu was able to get those first few visits only because she was pretending to consider supporting Kurotsuchi's artificial army. When he realized she was just stringing him along, he was furious, and forbade her from seeing Nemu again."

"Yes, I know all that. That's why Retsu snuck to Nemu's cell during the late evenings to visit, but why? Why did she go? Why didn't she tell anyone she was doing it? Why was Kurotsuchi so hell bent on keeping her away from Nemu? Why was Retsu so absolutely distraught around Nemu that Nemu thought herself a failure?" Isane asked in a rush. "She didn't tell you any of this?"

"Never a word." Ukitake marvelled softly. "I never had any idea. The Captain-Commander didn't have any choice but to endorse Kurotsuchi's right of ownership, I thought that was the end of it."

"Jyushiro." Isane began in a soft tone to catch his attention. Her eyes were focused, her features sharp, and her eyebrows arched. "Something disturbing went on between Retsu and Nemu. Something that Kurotsuchi is the cause of. Nemu has been living with the pain of it nearly her whole life."

"Isane." Ukitake's shoulders slumped slightly as he closed his eyes in a sigh, "You know I'm sympathetic, and that I am willing to do whatever I can to help Nemu, but is this the right time to be focusing on it?"

Her voice was cold steel, "I know you're not going to say to me that the war is more important. That I should focus on achieving my Bankai instead of helping Nemu."

"Fine, I won't say it." Ukitake acquiesced with a hint of irritation in his tone. "But I'm not going to do what you're planning on asking me."

She flinched as she broke his stare, "I don't know what you mean."

"Isane, let's not pretend, please." He demanded. "You were hoping that I would have the answers, but your backup plan was to ask me to go through her journals."

Her cringe was the only confirmation he needed, but it also saddened him and he eased his tone. "I won't do it. I will not betray her memory like that. She entrusted them to you, and to you alone."

Her hands fisted as she bowed her head, and her shoulders went rigid, "I'm sorry, Jyushiro. I know it was wrong of to even think of asking, but I'm so afraid."

"Of what?" He asked gently. "That you disappointed her? That hidden in the pages you'll find she's always cursed your name? That she hated you?"

She fought the grief clawing at her as hard as she could, but despite his gentle tones the words cut to the core. She sniffed once, but quickly clamped a hand over her mouth and nose. Ukitake carefully placed their trays to the side, and then reached across the tatami mat for her. Her silent sobs shook her whole body as he held her close.

"You can do this, Isane. If not for yourself, then for Nemu and Retsu. This could be the demon you need to face, and you'll be stronger for it."

&

Isane collected herself with several deep breaths. It had been some time since she had left Ukitake, and she had finally mustered the resolve to stand before the gate. A relatively simple design common among minor nobility, the estate was located in the southern Seireitei, within Squad 7's designated territory.

She set her shoulders resolutely before she finally reached for the door.

"Miss Isane! What a pleasure it is to see you again!"

Her anxiety instantly vanished like a bad dream at the sound of his voice. A warm smile lifted Isane's cheeks as she opened her arms to accept a strong embrace, "Hello, Kensuke. How have you been?"

He stepped back but held onto her hands. He was a stout man, with broad shoulders, thick limbs, and a slightly rounded stomach. Circular frames rested low on his nose, his blue eyes were alive with warmth, and his brown hair was cut close to his head. His face was heavy, and his slightly crooked, but those small imperfections were easily obscured by his brilliant smile. "Well, I've been a bit lonely since a certain someone has neglected to visit."

It was a tease in good jest, but Isane winced slightly at the small ache that blossomed within her chest. "I'm sorry, Kensuke. I wish I could say it was work that kept me away."

He squeezed her hands gently, "My dear, you never have to apologize to me. I'm just glad you're here." He tugged her forward, "Come, take a walk with an old friend."

She didn't resist, and easily looped her arm through his as she fell in step beside him. He actually stood half a head taller than her, but he made her feel much smaller, like she was only a little girl, his favorite niece. "Are you sure you can? Your leg hasn't been bothering you?"

His laugh was deep and boisterous as he clapped his free hand against their joined arms, "It'll take more than an old war wound to keep me sitting still with such wonderful company to entertain."

His cheer was infectious, and Isane found herself truly smiling for the first time in her recent memory. Their pace was slow, and his limp was noticeable, but she didn't mind in the least. It allowed her ample time to take in the estate. The front gate she passed through was part of a wall nearly a hundred yards long. The plot extended another three hundred yards, ending at a tall wall to the rear, obscuring a similar neighboring estate.

The main wing of the house was two stories tall, connected to two smaller one story wings by covered walkways. Rather than grass, the front yard was actually a layer of fine sand. Paved walkways provided easy access to several ornate wooden benches that surrounded a koi pond to the left and large plum trees to the right.

The sand was perfectly groomed, and the yard was free of any dirt or leaves. A comfortable aroma of cinnamon permeated the air, and relaxed some of the tension in Isane's shoulders. "You're doing a wonderful job managing the grounds, Kensuke. How you manage without any help, I'll never know."

He turned to offer her a wide grin, his eyes closed, "Have to keep the place tidy! After all, it's still waiting to be inherited."

She tensed, and nearly came to a complete halt under the assault of gripping anxiety. Kensuke sighed and patted her hand, "I'm sorry, dear. That was insensitive of me."

Her dark eyes were lidded with pain as she cast her gaze away from him to the Koi pond at her left. "We've talked about this before." She admonished him quietly. "This is your home no matter what some piece of paper says."

His arm slipped from hers as he clasped her shoulders, his expression suddenly serious. His eyes narrowed when she refused to meet his eyes, "Isane, Retsu's will is not just some piece of paper. She loved you like a daughter, and she wanted you to have this home. She wanted you to raise the family she never could here."

That familiar ache that had been gnawing at her was returning with a vengeance. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt tears trying to form, "Damn it, Kensuke!" She swore with a hushed voice, "How many times will I have to say it?"

"You're hurting right now, and this damn war isn't letting you heal. The time is going to come when you're ready, and this house will be waiting for you on that day." He pressed on when the first of her tears escaped her closed eyes, "I'm just an old fool that couldn't slip quietly into retirement when that Hollow destroyed my leg. Retsu took me on as her groundskeeper because I annoyed her to death with my whining about being useful. I was her friend, you were her family."

"I didn't save her." She rebutted through soft sobs, "She was right in front of me, and I didn't save her. How can I accept any of her possessions?"

He averted his gaze for a brief moment as his face clenched, as if fighting down an outburst, he managed to control his voice, "What happened in Hueco Mundo doesn't erase the love she had for you. Not even close. You're being far harder on yourself than she ever would."

Isane shook her head as her voice broke, "It was never in her to be hard on me. No matter how grievous my mistake she always forgave me without fail. Not this time. She's dead because of me."

He clenched his teeth as he scowled harshly, "Is this where I coddle you and tell you it wasn't your fault!?"

Her eyes snapped open and her breath hitched at his tone.

"Retsu wasn't some helpless victim, Isane!" He continued in exasperation. "She carried a Zanpakto and wore the uniform just like the rest of us. She knew the risks, and in the end it was ultimately her own responsibility to defend her life. Do you honestly believe you could've prevailed against an adversary that bested Captain Unohana?"

"Why?" She hiccupped, her eyes open in fright at his uncharacteristic hostility. "Why are you saying this?"

He shook her then, once, but fiercely enough to throw her head back. Her whole body tensed under his grip, and her eyes were wide with disbelief, "Because you need to wake up! You've done a wonderful job playing the martyr, but you don't get to claim credit for Retsu's death!"

A fire stirred deep within Isane, and she didn't fight her anger as she shouted back, "You weren't there! You have no idea what happened! I failed her!"

He looked at her then. He scrutinized her eyes intently for several moments as she stared back, defiantly daring him to contradict her. Finally his face lost its hard edge, and he sighed deeply, closing his eyes. In that instant he looked millennia older, and Isane cringed at his palpable disappointment.

"Just because you refused to talk about it doesn't mean I didn't get the details." His voice had quieted dramatically as he released her shoulders. He turned away from her and began limping towards the house.

"Wh…where are you going?" Her voice was edged with panic.

"The walkways won't sweep themselves, will they?" His voice was devoid of its usual kindness, and Isane nearly broke down. "Visit again soon."

The dismissal was a crushing blow, and for critical seconds Isane lost her voice. Every step he took away from her weakened her knees, and she desperately wanted to follow his decree, flee the grounds but never come back.

Her hands fisted tightly as she tried to fight down the panic overwhelming her, "Please, wait."

He halted and turned back to face her, and she was surprised at the sorrow she saw on his features. "It would kill her to see you like this, Isane. Why can't you understand that? Why can't you honor her for what she was, and carry on for her?"

"I do honor her." She protested. "and I've only made it this far because of her memory."

He shook his head in remorse, "No, my dear girl. There's a difference between carrying on a legacy, and being crushed underneath it."

She clasped her hands together as she lowered her gaze, "You're probably right, but I don't know what else to do."

"You could try forgiving yourself." He suggested gently.

A twinge of pain stabbed at Isane as she bleakly recalled Nemu's sorrowful admission. "Kensuke?" She asked after a moment. "There was a reason I came to visit today."

"They're already boxed and waiting for you in the foyer, Isane." He replied as he disappeared into the house.

She didn't know why she was surprised. A sense of trepidation rose within her as she finally approached the foyer. Her presence still lingered, in every pane of wood and in every stone. It was both comforting and distressing, and only affirmed to Isane in her mind that she would never be able to move into Captain Unohana's home. Just as Kensuke promised, a small box rested next to a vase on a small table.

Inside were five books, Captain Unohana's journals.

She picked the box up gingerly as if it were a fragile treasure, just waiting for an excuse to crumble away into dust. She felt the weight in her hands, but it was nothing compared to the trepidation that was crushing her soul.

She wanted to put them down, she was terrified of what she would find within those pages. Yet despite the pain it would cause, and the overwhelming fear she would need to confront, a friend needed her help.

She carried the box into the library and settled herself as comfortably as she could. Her breathing was deep and controlled, but her fingers shook as she lifted the cover.

&

They sat in their traditional places at the table. Ulquiorra's usually impassive stare was safely hidden behind his closed eyelids. Stark's right elbow was haphazardly planted on the table, supporting his dangerously leaning head as he napped with no shame. Neliel showed no obvious signs of discomfort as she crossed her legs and leaned back into what was once Nnoitra Jiruga's seat, but her expression was soft and melancholic. Halibel's back was straight, and her legs were bent straight at the knee. She tolerated no displays of weakness, even at rest. Her high collar obscured her expression, but her eyes, hard and focused, perfectly denoted her fierce mood.

Aizen hadn't taken the effort to fill Aaroniero's seat with a replacement, so it stood empty next to the towering giant, Yammy. As the meetings were rarely violent enough to hold his interest, his bored eyes stared listlessly at Ulquiorra, waiting calmly for instructions.

Grimmjow cast a glance to his right, taking in the three conspicuously empty chairs. It was no great surprise that Zommari wasn't there, and he hadn't had so much as a glimpse of Szayel-Aporro in a year, but he was vastly amused to see that Barragan's seat remained empty as well.

"_Shits gonna hit the fan when the Cyclops gets wind of this."_ Grimmjow mused to himself with no small amount of satisfaction.

Grimmjow then cast a glance to his left at the head of the table. Aizen himself had not deigned to grace his "dear, Espada" with his presence. In fact sightings of him were nearly as rare as of Szayel-Aporro. He had been leaving the meetings to Tousen or Ichimaru, or in this case Ulquiorra: using his most trusted men to relay his instructions. It was uncharacteristic, and Grimmjow wasn't the only Espada wondering at the change, but the ex-shinigami weren't talking, and none of them wanted to approach Ulquiorra unless it was absolutely necessary.

The Cuarta finally began, only speaking loud enough to be heard across the entire table, "Aizen-sama has entrusted a task to me. An invasion of the Seireitei." The rest of the Espada, aside from Stark, noticeably perked at the news. "You will all have a role to perform in it."

"About damn time!" Grimmjow declared with excitement as he pounded a fist against the table. "I've had all I can take of this cloak and dagger guerilla shit. We gonna kill em all!?"

"Settle down." Stark muttered drowsily through a deep yawn. "You'll give me a headache."

"I've done nothing but count sand and twiddle my fucking thumbs for a year, man. You should count yourself lucky I haven't been scratching up the furniture." Grimmjow's smile was wide, and his eyes were alive with fierce anticipation. "Let's do it, let's go right now!"

"Control yourself Grimmjow." Halibel admonished him. "It would be nothing short of suicide to assault the Seireitei without a sound plan."

"Says you!" Grimmjow sneered, none of his enthusiasm lost. "I'll rip apart every last one of them myself! Just show me the way!"

"…So much for sleeping this meeting away." Stark complained as he let his arm fall to the table and slumped further into his chair.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes as he turned to Stark, "This task is of critical importance to Aizen-sama's goals. You would do well to pay attention."

Stark did not bother to meet Ulquiorra's dead stare as he shot off a tired response, "And listen to you drone off the same plan you always do? No thanks, I'd rather pay attention to the back of my eyelids."

"Lazy bastard!" Yammy swore viciously. "How can you think of sleep when Ulquiorra is ready to lead us to the death of the Shinigami!?"

Stark couldn't muster the effort to shrug his shoulders, so he had to settle for a small lift of his brow as he leaned further back into his chair.

The chamber doors suddenly flew open violently, rebounding harshly off their frames with a resounding crack. The figure that stood in the threshold cast a long shadow that reached the oval shaped table in the centre, and released a menacing reiatsu so potent in threatened to scrape gashes in the stone floor and walls.

Six heads turned to face the newcomer, their expressions ranged from bored disinterest to sadistic glee. The latter expression was featured most prominently on Grimmjow, "Sup, Barragan?"

His single eye stared malevolently, and his voice was coarse with unrestrained fury, "What the hell is going on here? Why wasn't I informed the Espada were called together?"

Grimmjow's grin was wicked as he kicked his heels up on the table, throwing his hands behind his head as his amused eyes waited for Ulquiorra to dig himself into a deeper hole. "Yeah, Ulquiorra. Why didn't you take the time to invite Barragan?"

"This was your doing, Cuarta?" Barragan's reiatsu focused instantly. Instead of permeating the chamber indiscriminately like a storm it crashed upon Ulquiorra with the fury of a tornado. Not even a sliver escaped to irritate Stark or Grimmjow.

To his credit the Cuarta didn't even flinch, "Calm yourself, Barragan. We are here to discuss a plan of attack that does not involve you. I saw no need to disturb you."

"Oh no?" Barragan growled as he stormed into the chamber. "You're dispatching MY men as your smoke screen without consulting me?" Barragan bypassed his side of the table altogether moving to stand between Stark and Ulquiorra.

Stark wrinkled his nose and subtly shifted his weight to press himself as far as he could manage from the irate elder Espada. Neliel easily caught the movement and spared a moment to grin at him before Barragan called attention to himself again.

Ulquiorra refused to crane his neck to look up at Barragan. He stared straight ahead into Grimmjow's smugly amused face. "Their lives belong to Aizen-sama, Barragan, not you."

Even Stark's eyes were thrown open by the violence of the assault, Grimmjow was at the edge of his seat like a cat ready to pounce on wounded prey, and Yammy leaped to his feet in rage. Ulquiorra's chair had been toppled, and Barragan's Sonido crushed the Cuarta between the unyielding stone wall, and the elbow he viciously planted on his sternum.

"Don't forget who you're talking to, _boy_." Barragan muttered darkly. "You _look_ at me when I'm talking to you."

Ulquiorra's face remained unchanged, as if he were literally incapable of expressing the discomfort he was doubtlessly feeling. Barragan's elbow was compressing his chest with enough force that the cracks in the wall caused by the impact were beginning to creak and strain as they spread.

"You sought my attention," Ulquiorra managed to whisper. "now you have it. I only follow the orders of Aizen-sama. Your fracciones are uniquely suited to the role I have designated for them. That is all."

"My men are not disposable decoys, Cuarta." Barragan ground out. "You will not waste them to hold the attention of the Captains in the world of the living while you traipse about the Seireitei unopposed."

"Hey, what the hell?" Grimmjow protested. "You want to keep the Captains locked down in the World of the Living? Then what the hell's the point of even going?"

"How do you even know what his plan is, Barragan?" Neliel added.

"Yo." A new voice announced himself with glee. Grimmjow's mirth died instantly, and Neliel's face grew stern. Gin Ichimaru strutted into the chamber with his hands locked inside his long sleeves and wearing the widest grin the Espada had seen on him in some time. "Barragan and I were just having the most pleasant conversation when I let my guard down and said something I shouldn't." He turned his slitted eyes to Barragan, "Then you went and ran off before I could set things straight."

"_Bullshit" _several of them thought at once.

"Go ahead and back off Ulquiorra now, Barragan." Gin's tone made it sound like a request. "You've had your fun."

Ulquiorra slid down the wall and landed unceremoniously on his rear as Barragan reluctantly took a step back. "If any of my men die performing your little feint, I'll be exacting their worth in reiatsu from your pale hide, Cuarta."

Ulquiorra picked himself up from the floor with all the dignity he could muster, "If they live up to their worth and follow my instructions explicitly, there will be no problems." Ulquiorra promised. "Your fracciones will return to you."

"Yeah, about that." Grimmjow interrupted, his good cheer and amusement back in full force, "Could we possibly do without Coolhorn? I honestly want to gouge my eyes out every time I come across him."

Stark's eyebrow shifted slightly, his own silent assent for the proposal.

Barragan was not amused as he strode to his seat, as he settled, "Let's get on with his, I want to know exactly what my servants are paying with their blood for."

"As you wish." Ulquiorra conceded as he righted his chair and took his place.

&

Isane had only the pale glow of a candle to aide her. The sun had long gone down over the Unohana estate. It was certainly bittersweet, going through Retsu's most private thoughts. For long hours Isane had managed to let go of her anxiety, and live through her beloved mentor's memories, preserved carefully in her own words. The happy times and pleasant memories warmed Isane's spirit like summer sand at the beach, but also left her with the aching reminder that those times were forever gone. Retsu also had her fair share of bad memories to peruse as well that were simply heart wrenching for Isane.

It had been especially difficult reading over the time in Retsu's life that she discovered her sterility. It was devastating news that drove Retsu to depression for years. Her sorrow would only be exacerbated by the death of her fiancé not too long afterwards. It had all occurred well before Isane had been born, but her sympathy and sadness for Retsu's pain was both fresh and powerful.

The sterility was not so much a secret, as a private matter that Retsu did not enjoy advertising. Isane herself had only inadvertently discovered it during an examination she administered to Retsu nearly thirty years prior.

It was certainly not uncommon in the Soul Society for women to have difficulty conceiving. Babies were an outright rarity, but that was largely due to the incompatible spirit energies of the prospective parents rather than an actual ailment, such as the one that afflicted Retsu.

The condition had pervaded in her thoughts for centuries, and she had no greater desire than to raise a family. It took her a long time, but she eventually let go of the pain, contenting herself on helping to raise unofficially adopted children in her beloved Squad 4.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi had changed that. Any sense of peace and contentment Isane harbored evaporated instantly the first time that Mayuri Kurotsuchi's name was mentioned in an entry dated just over a century before.

&

One Hundred Years Earlier…

"Captain Unohana!" A soft smile graced her features at the sing song call. Her amused eyes lifted to her office door when Kisuke Urahara invited himself in. "Stuck in an office on such a beautiful day? You may be the only Captain in the Seireitei that can appreciate my pain!"

"Oh, I don't know about that." She answered in good nature. "Seems to me you manage to escape the paperwork to play with your chemistry set without much trouble."

"Oh my," he offered her a sloppy grin as he plopped into a chair, "I hope I haven't given the impression I'm a slacker. You may rest assured my fair lady," Her smile actually showed teeth, but she had long since returned her attention to her desk. Kisuke's eyes were alive with laughter as he continued, "That despite appearances, I am always hard at work for the good of my fellow Shinigami."

"I have no doubt, good sir." Retsu shot back, easily slipping into the mock formality Kisuke was enjoying.

Kisuke slapped his hands against the armrests as he exclaimed with a dramatic sigh, "Which, unfortunately, I must report is the reason I've come."

"Oh?" She asked with interest as she once again gave him her full attention.

"You know of my third seat yes?" He was still smiling, and his voice still held a measure of good cheer, but he had noticeably sobered, as if he expected her reaction.

It was not kind. Her own smile faltered for a moment as she set her brush to the side. "That would be Mr. Kurotsuchi, yes?"

He nodded, "Yes indeed. Brilliant fellow, if not a bit socially awkward."

"I'm not sure those would be the words I would use to characterize him." Unohana argued gently.

He chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head, "I know he's a bit difficult to understand, but he's really not so bad when you get used to him."

"I'm sure Lieutenant Sarugaki would be among those that would disagree." Her voice was getting softer as she got more serious, as if she were preparing herself to confront something dangerous.

Kisuke actually laughed, "Yes well, Hiyori doesn't get along well with a lot of people. It's no surprise they butt heads."

"I was referring to his methods, not his social graces." She corrected him with a hint of reproach in her voice. "He's been requesting volunteers for human experiments, petitioning for the capture of hollow specimens for dissection, and rumors are going around that he's even conducting illegal research."

Kisuke's voice finally turned stern, "Let me assure you that they are just that, rumors. Mayuri and I have a very complete understanding about his conditions of release from the Maggot's Nest, and I monitor all of his independent projects personally."

Unohana looked at him for a long moment, her hands gently folded together on the desk in front of her. Finally she softly asked, "Why are you here, Captain Urahara? Why are we talking about Mr. Kurotsuchi?"

Kiskuke broke the stare, and even fidgeted nervously in his chair for a moment before getting back into the conversation. "I think you would be very interested in contributing to one of the projects he's pursuing."

She seemed to tense, "From what I've heard about him, I would rather doubt that, Captain Urahara. But as you've taken the time to visit personally, I'm willing to listen."

He nodded, "Thank you for that." He loosely locked his hands together in his lap as he met her gaze again, "Trust me when I say I hold no illusions about what Mayuri is, and I assure you that I keep him securely under my thumb. I also know he makes a lot of people uncomfortable, including you, and that I wouldn't be telling you about this if I was capable of handling it myself…"

"Captain Urahara." Retsu interrupted gently, "I must admit I find it hard to believe that Mr. Kurotsuchi is more capable than you."

He flashed her a small grin, "While I appreciate the compliment, I must confess that is not entirely accurate." He leaned further back into his chair, "In the realms of chemistry, biology, and animate reishi constructs; false bodies and the like," Urahara clarified for her unnecessarily, "Mayuri is the stronger mind. I surpass him in physics, meta-physics, and inanimate reishi contructs."

"If you say so." Retsu agreed cautiously. "I still don't understand why you're telling me this." She added, a hint of trepidation in her voice.

Kisuke opened his mouth to speak twice, but no sound came out. He finally shrugged his shoulders in exasperation, "There really isn't a good way to say this. So I hope you'll accept my pardon."

"By all means, speak your mind Captain Urahara." Now she was outright anxious.

He clamped his jaws shut before he finally blurted, "Mayuri may be onto a method to cure the type of sterility you are afflicted with, but he needs help. You're a much more talented biologist than I, so I thought you might be interested in collaborating with him."

Silence.

Retsu's back went as straight as a rod, and her hands clenched. She had sucked in a breath as if struck in the stomach, and stared at Kisuke with wide-shocked eyes. Kisuke held her gaze with sympathy and regret, but he didn't falter, and his mouth was set in a neutral line.

Retsu had to take several deep, calming breaths as she lowered her gaze to her desk. She was finally able to answer in an unsteady voice, "That…that is a rather personal assumption, Captain Urahara. It is not something I enjoy discussing."

"I know." He answered, his voice lowered in respect of her pain. "I'm sorry for being so blunt. I truly believe that Mayuri is on to something with this research, and it may lead to a cure that can help you and other women like you. I…I just wanted to extend you the opportunity to be a part of it if you would like."

"I see." Her voice was distant, as if she were lost. "I…I need to be alone for a while. Forgive me for asking, Captain Urahara, but could you excuse yourself?"

He sighed deeply as his eyes closed. He reached across her desk and gently laid a hand over hers, "Please believe me when I say I meant no disrespect."

She tried to smile to reassure him, but couldn't quite manage it. Instead she patted his hand, but cast a pleading glance to the door, not trusting her voice to remain steady. Kisuke was devastated when he saw the glistening tears threatening to fall from the corner of her eyes, and quickly rose to his feet to excuse himself.

&

Isane had to take a break after reading the passage. The handkerchief that Kensuke had provided was being put to frequent use drying her eyes. She could feel Retsu's pain almost like it was tangible, threatening to smother her. It was hard to absorb, not only the fact that Captain Unohana had never confided in her with these events beforehand, but to learn that Kisuke Urahara had an active hand in this mystery was unexpected as well.

She had had such a positive view of the man, and was deeply saddened when she had learned of his exile. Now she didn't know what to think of him. To suggest going to Mayuri Kurotsuchi on a matter so sensitive…was simply unfathomable for Isane.

Finally she was able to continue on, coming to another passage of note…

&

"Captain Unohana." The greeting was curt and formal, and finally bid Retsu to grant attention to the man she had sensed coming for several minutes.

Her stomach went cold at the sight of him, a painful reminder of the proposal Kisuke Urahara had made to her, and the memories it invoked. Still she controlled herself flawlessly as she handed written instructions to her third seat, Iemura, and graced Mayuri with a smile in greeting, "Mr. Kurotsuchi, yes? Of squad 12?"

His hands hung limp at his sides and his mouth was an impassive line, but his amber eyes were focused unrelentingly on her, "Yes. May I request an audience?"

Iemura shot her a nervous glance from behind his glasses but she patted him gently on the shoulder as she turned him away to his assigned tasks. "By all means, please follow me."

They didn't exchange another word as Retsu led him through the complex. Her eyes remained focused, starting straight ahead as she worked to bring down the cold feeling crawling up her spine. She knew the likely reason for his visit, and it was not a conversation she was anticipating to enjoy.

For his part, he followed at a respectful distance, letting his eyes wander to points of his interest. Most often being assorted medical tools and medications, never sparing a glance to the fallen, never giving thought to how to heal them.

He slid the door to her office closed behind him as she settled behind her desk, "Please feel free to sit." She offered courteously.

"I'll stand." He responded as he turned to face her. He waited for no further prompt before beginning in precise tones, "The insufferable buffoon has informed me that you have been told about my research."

She was taken slightly aback by his bluntness, and a little amused at his descriptor for Captain Urahara, but she managed to nod in the affirmative.

"I have a treatment prepared." He continued to stare at her, his yellow eyes never blinking. "I am requesting that you make yourself available as a test subject."

It was very rare for Retsu Unohana's jaw to fall open in shock. The audacity of it, combined with such a blatant delivery, as if he had no appreciation for the emotional impact, the turmoil his words were stirring violently within her. "I beg your pardon?" She managed to choke out in an incredulous whisper.

"I believe I spoke clearly." There was no apology in his tone, and no sympathy. He had a goal to pursue, and any other consideration was meaningless.

It was highly disrespectful, if not outright insubordination, but somehow Unohana realized he wasn't trying to offend her. He was only speaking the facts as he saw them. He had spoken clearly, and she understood perfectly what he was asking of her, so he saw no need to repeat himself. That was all.

"Yes." She finally admitted after a few calming breaths. "You did speak clearly, Mr. Kurotsuchi. I apologize for not responding as accurately. What I meant to convey was," Her eyes actually went cold as she set her shoulders, a posture she usually only reserved for rowdy patients that threatened her subordinates, "that I was deeply surprised and offended that you are comfortable making such an insensitive and improper overture to a superior officer."

He wasn't the least bit chastised, and strangely enough did not display any timidity under her cold eyes. She lifted an eyebrow, even the most fearless and battle hardened Shinigami were intimidated by her when she was angry, but Kurotsuchi stood his ground. "You and I are both very busy people, Captain Unohana. You'll find that I always endeavor to get to the point. Will you assent, or shall I provide a presentation?"

Now she was outright scandalized but somehow managed to exert enough control to keep her voice low if not kind, "I most certainly will not assent. I suggest you see yourself out of my office."

He seemed to fight the reflexes to sigh and roll his eyes, managing to keep his features impassive. "Captain Urahara led me to believe that you are a more reasonable person than you are currently demonstrating yourself to be, Captain Unohana."

She was shocked silent. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! Did this man not have ANY sense of propriety whatsoever? "Did you just accuse me of being unreasonable?" She asked in a low voice.

"You are dismissing me without listening to my full proposal and evidence." He reminded her.

Unohana was so flustered at this point she didn't even sense the additional presence that was rapidly closing on her office. Her door flew open with a crash and a horrified Kisuke Urarhara stood there panting out of breath. "Captain Unohana, you have my sincerest apologies!"

Mayuri craned his neck to look at his Captain over his shoulder, "What in the world are the two of you getting so excited over?"

Kisuke's eyes were hard as he addressed Mayuri, "You will stand at attention and remain silent!"

Mayuri held his stare for a moment, as if debating with himself whether to acknowledge the order. When Kisuke's jaw clenched in preparation for barking out a harsher command Mayuri acquiesced and stood at proper attention, facing forward and staring over Captain Unohana's head.

Kisuke stood next to him and bowed low at the waist, "I have no excuse for this, Captain Unohana. I carelessly left a file I have on you out in the open and third seat Kurotsuchi no doubt learned of your condition through it. Please, the responsibility is mine, and I assure you I will handle third seat Kurotsuchi and his absolute disregard for normal human decency."

"Now just a moment…" Mayuri tried to protest but Urahara's reiatsu flexed menacingly, and the third seat took the hint to shut his mouth. Even then it wasn't as if he were intimidated by the display of power, but resentful of the interruption a confrontation would entail.

Unohana honestly didn't know where to begin. She was outright furious that Kisuke's carelessness had left her most private and sensitive medical information out for the world to see, and equally scandalized at the treatment Kurotsuchi had subjected her too.

She closed her eyes, and once again earned her reputation for kindness and mercy. "Please rise, Captain Urahara." Her voice as soft and controlled as ever. "You will surrender any and all information your Squad possesses on myself or any other Shinigami of a similar sensitive personal nature unless you have obtained their express permission to have it."

"It'll be done before the sun sets." Urahara promised with fierce conviction in his tone, even as Mayuri's eyes twitched in absolute horror for the loss.

"You will endeavor to impress upon Mr. Kurotsuchi the importance of propriety as he engages in business on behalf of Squad 12." She continued.

Kisuke nodded in acquiescence. This time Mayuri did actually roll his eyes.

"And…" She paused for a moment and looked down at her desk, causing Kisuke to lift an eyebrow in concern. "You will confer with Mr. Kurotsuchi to devise an appropriate way to fashion his request to me…along with a presentation of his evidence so that I may fully understand what it is I am considering contributing to."

Both Kisuke and Mayuri's eyes focused with barely concealed excitement. Despite Mayuri's insensitive blunder and the loss of mountains of useful information on many Shinigami, Captain Unohana was still willing to listen. With her help they could very well make the most important medical breakthrough in the recent history of the Soul Society.

Retsu did not share their enthusiasm, but a sense of shame. Her motivations were far more selfish. She tried to put it out of her mind, reminded herself of how happy she was with her life, and how dangerous Mayuri Kurotsuchi was but…

It wouldn't let her go. That most profane and horrid of emotions. It was a driving force so potent that even if she had to make a deal with a devil it would press her forward mercilessly with no regard for her soul.

Hope.

Hope that after all of these centuries of longing and pain she could finally experience the one defining joy she had been cruelly denied.

The chance to give birth to new life.

&


	12. Shaken Beliefs

Happy Holidays!

Sheesh this has been a long time coming. My sincerest apologies guys, not only was I terribly busy with RL, this was HARD to write! I went through 2 or 3 completely different versions!

Thank you all for your continued support for the story, and I hope you are pleased with this chapter. Call it my holiday gift for all the readers.

Chapter 12: Shaken Beliefs

&

"I don't want to talk to you." The voice was dull, as if the speaker was so exhausted and defeated that he couldn't muster the will to express the rage he was feeling.

It hurt, like it always did. Neliel Tu could do nothing but offer the back of his head, covered in that ridiculous orange hair, a sad smile. "Then I hope you won't mind listening at least."

It was a fairly large room, about the size of the living and dining rooms in his home combined. Mostly empty, aside from the couch and a chair, it even lacked a window to let in the artificial light of Las Noches. Pale white illumination was cast by an overhead lamp far in the ceiling, well beyond any attempts to reach it.

"Will it matter? If I tell you to fuck off, will you leave?" The tone made her flinch.

"Ichigo, please," She begged. "I'm your friend."

He exploded to his feet like a spring under tension, whirling to face her with mindless rage clouding his dark eyes, "You're no friend of mine! You're with Aizen! You're the enemy! So unless you're here to release this fucking seal," He tore his robes from his chest to reveal a blood red sigil, which glowed faintly, strategically placed over his sternum, "then I want nothing to do with you! Traitorous bitch!"

She finally averted her hazel eyes, no longer able to stand it. "I understand why you're angry, and I don't blame you for it. Can't you try to understand me? Why I'm doing this? I only want to protect you."

She didn't resist as he rushed forward. His fingers dug into her shoulders ferociously as he slammed her into the wall, "I don't want your protection! I don't care why you've decided to follow Aizen! My friends, my family! They're out there every day, bleeding and dying, and I'm in here!" He punctuated his point by slamming his fist into the wall next to her head, at the very least tearing the skin over his knuckles.

"Please calm down. With your spiritual pressure sealed, you'll only hurt yourself." She whispered to him.

"What does it even matter, Nel?" He laughed, nearly manic in pitch and tone. "What the hell does it matter? I can't help _anyone_ in here. I'll only last long enough for Aizen to get what he wants from Inoue, and then we're both dead."

"That won't happen. Aizen-sama…" Nel started to protest but was cut off.

"Don't you call him that! He's no god, and he's no lord. He doesn't deserve _any_ loyalty or respect."

"…He made me what I am. I owe him everything."

He let out a deep breath as he dropped her gaze. Finally his free hand glided over the crack in her mask, and then down the jagged scar on her face, some of his anger and tension seeped away and he was finally calmer as he asked, "Even this?"

She couldn't help but shudder under his touch. It was usually utter agony when anything even brushed it, but somehow the wound hurt less when he stroked it, "I have no regrets about that. It's because of this crack that I met you," She opened her eyes to look at him, vulnerable but assured of what she was saying, "that I…."

He squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head to interrupt her, "Don't make this about you and me, again. There _is no_ you and me."

She tried to smile, "I know, but that doesn't change how I feel." She stared deeply in his eyes, unflinching and unafraid as she continued, "I can't let anything happen to you, I won't." She slowly started to shake her head, "You can't defeat Ulquiorra, let alone the first three Espada or Ichimaru. Aizen-sa…" At Ichigo's harsh scowl she stilled. She worked her mouth a few times struggling against the deeply instilled training that compelled her, "Aizen," The name sounded foreign and strange to her without using his title, and she looked decidedly uncomfortable as she pressed on, "Aizen is simply undefeatable."

"Bullshit." He fiercely whispered. "There's no such thing. If it can't be me, then it'll be someone else, but that bastard is going to lose this war, Nel."

"Then let it be someone else!" She cried desperately. "Ulquiorra almost killed you the last time you fought, and Nnoitra would have if I hadn't been there to protect you! Haven't you fought enough? Why can't you just stay here with me?" The last question was a pitiful whine.

He suddenly released her and turned away, striding towards the rear wall of the room. A protest lodged in her throat as she meekly reached out for his shoulder, but pulled back.

His voice cut right through her, "You don't understand me at all. How can you say you love me, and ask me to sit here quietly while the people I love are dead and dying? To protect them I'll fight to my last breath."

She bowed her head to stare at the floor, "Then…" her voice picked up in intensity as she set herself, "You know I have no choice but to stand at Aizen-sama's side, Ichigo. I'm going to help him create his new world."

His fists clenched, but he held back the eruption of his anger, letting her continue.

"After this war is over…and Aizen-sama releases you and Inoue like he promised…if you still want to fight him, I won't stop you. But, Ichigo…" Her tone and manner bid him to turn to her once again, showing her his hard and focused eyes. "You'll have to kill me if you want Aizen-sama. I won't fight you, but you'll have to cut me down."

He sucked in a breath and tore his gaze from her face. He couldn't to stand it. No matter how hard he tried he could not fathom her loyalty to such a cruel bastard. Yet she was resolute, and absolutely serious. "Why? Why do you follow him so blindly? After all you've seen, all he's put you through, you must know he's evil."

She pushed off the wall and came towards him, he did not retreat. "What is evil, Ichigo?" She stopped, so close that her breath tickled his chin, but he didn't push her away, "Hueco Mundo is an endless desert shrouded in eternal darkness, but it is not hell. In all your time as a Shinigami, how many hollows have you sent there? How many times did those gates open at your Zanpakto's call?"

"…Once." He finally answered her.

"In how many hollows? One hundred? One thousand? I committed no crimes in my life, Ichigo, I lingered because of what was done to me. I didn't choose this existence, I never wanted that never ending thirst. Can you even begin to imagine how terrible it is?" She asked him in a whisper.

He barely shook his head no, lost in her eyes filled with grief and memory.

"If you can bear to remember the worst time in your life, when your soul was absolutely shattered by the most horrible pain…"

He closed his eyes as the river bank came back to him yet again, drenched and cold as he begged his mother to wake up, her blood absolutely everywhere.

"You feel so empty inside, like you're standing at the edge of the abyss with nothing to pull you back, nothing to anchor you. Your family and friends are in your thoughts, but when you die…you fall away from them into an abyss. You fall and fall, and the farther you drop, the colder it gets, the harder it is to remember them. Every inch of your skin is screaming like you're being stabbed with frozen knives, but on the inside…there's absolutely nothing."

She barely blinked, but never looked away from him. Her voice the quietest whisper, as if anything louder would shatter the universe. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but they remained frozen and numb at his sides. His eyes were half lidded as he listened.

"You feel so empty, and you can't remember a single thing that is good or happy. You feel faces and blurs in your memory, but its like staring through fog. You can't remember what color his eyes were or how brilliant his smile. You only know he was the love of your life, and that you'll never even have a piece of that feeling ever again."

She slowly reached a gloved hand for his face, but he flinched away. She refused to desist and laid her palm long his cheek, "You wander with no direction or purpose, unable to appreciate anything around you, not the sky, not the smell of the air…because it's all left you behind and you know you don't belong. You're all alone in a world you can see and hear, but the only way you can be a part of it is by destroying it. Before you even realize what's happening, you come across a soul, full of energy and life. The smell…" At this she did shut her eyes, and she trembled as goose bumps rose on her flesh. "The smell is the first thing you _feel _in as long as you can remember. It's so intoxicating you can't think, you can't resist, and you can't stop yourself," She opened her eyes, "and you feed."

He grimaced, unhappy to be reminded of her past, that she too had taken souls.

"It's like breathing, Ichigo." She mumbled, her free hand trailing up his back before resting on his shoulder. He didn't resist. "It's like your first breath of air in centuries. For just a few fleeting moments you take their memories, all their happiest times and thoughts, and it fills the hole gaping in you…and you can't think of anything but how good it is. You can't hear the screams of your victim, not even their first call as a hollow. You can only feel…because it's always gone so fast. Those stolen thoughts and memories seeping away through the emptiness of your soul," She paused for a moment as she angled her face, "making you only more desperate to fill it again."

Her breath was a sigh as she inched closer to him, slightly parting her mouth. His eyes were unfocused and lost, as if her voice, her breath had completely hypnotized him. She closed her eyes as the distance between them shrank, but suddenly squeezed them tightly as a pained whimper crawled from her throat.

The pads of his fingertips were rough and calloused on her soft lips. He didn't press her back, in fact he was hardly touching her, but his rejection was clear. Her jaw clenched as she let her forehead fall awkwardly to his chest, ever mindful of the wound in her mask. She was silent as she shook fiercely, as if lost out in the freezing cold, "He freed me from that pain, gave me myself back. Now I only need to feed rarely, and then only for the reiatsu. I can keep my own memories, forge new bonds, and because of that my soul isn't as empty anymore." She finally declared. "I can never repay him for it."

"No matter how many new victims he commands you to create?" He asked her with a deep sigh, hating himself for finding nothing to say to counter the argument.

Her fingers clenched in his robes as she let out a deep sigh,"…I came to tell you that you won't see me for a while, maybe a few weeks. Dondo Chakka will bring your food." She avoided answering him with a defeated whisper, cutting her gaze away from his face and to the floor.

His eyebrow rose as his resolve returned to him. He took her by the shoulders and held her at length, seeking her eyes, "What's happening? What's he told you to do?"

She held his gaze, full of morose, "…It's better if I don't tell you."

"Don't do it! Whatever it is, don't do it!" He pleaded with her suddenly. "Help me! Break this seal, get me my sword, and help me get Inoue out of this place! Never look back!"

"Ichigo…" Her voice on the edge of despair, "you know I can't do that. I will not forsake my debt to Aizen-sama to go running into the arms of Shinigami who would destroy me just for being what I am."

"I'll protect you!" He swore viciously. "I'll make them understand!"

"I know you mean that, and I know you mean well." She whispered. "But they'll want to cleanse me, Ichigo. They'll put me to a Zanpakto to destroy the hollow in me."

"Is that such a bad thing? You'll be free, and Soul Society…" He broke off in shock at her horrified gasp.

Her eyes went wide with fright and she jerked back as if struck, covering her mouth with a hand. "How could you even say that?"

"What…?" He asked her helplessly.

"Don't you have any idea what happens when you use your blade to cleanse a soul?" She asked. "Everything…absolutely everything would be gone. All of my memories, everything I've remembered about my life as a human, Dondo Chakka, Pesche,…" She lowered her hand to rest over her heart, her voice, saddened beyond despair twisted his gut, as she stared through him, "You. I'd lose it all…I'd lose _me._"

He was dumbfounded, completely unable to process what she was telling him.

"All this time I thought you knew…why we hate Shinigami so much." She whispered. "They stalk us, they mock us by arrogantly claiming that they help us…free us to take part in the natural flow again, when all they do is destroy everything that we are."

"But…" He feebly argued, "It has to be done. To protect the bonds the living have with each other…to let you find peace in the Soul Society. Isn't it worth losing those memories if it means you never have to take another soul? That you have the chance to find happiness again?"

"What about the happiness I have now!? What about the bonds I share with Pesche and Dondo Chakka? With you!?" It was the first time she shouted at him since his imprisonment, causing Ichigo to flinch. "Isn't that worth _anything?_ Do you even think about what you're taking away from a hollow when you destroy its memories?"

"I…" He stammered, "I only want to help."

"Help?" She echoed. "I never _asked any _shinigami to help me. To call what they do to us helping, is absolutely perverse."

"So you'd rather be allowed to wander for eternity? To stalk souls only to have them share your fate? Your agony? Let monsters create more monsters!?"

"Is that what you think I am, Ichigo? A monster?" Her quiet retort struck home.

"No, you're not a monster Nel." He admitted.

She nodded, "Aizen-sama has found the solution that the rest of the Shinigami have never even attempted to reach. Instead of destroying us, he saved us."

"He's enslaved you!" Ichigo all but roared. "You're nothing but tools to him! When he's lost his need for you, it'll be him after you instead of Nnoitra!"

"You don't understand anything about Aizen-Sama, do you?" She asked.

"I understand enough." Ichigo shot back. "I understand that lives mean _nothing_ to him. He's a manipulator, and he has no conscience. How many people do you think have died because of him already?" His passion and fury stirred violently within him, and he continued without checking his words. "Just look at what he's done to you! You would have been better of if a Shinigami cleansed you!"

Her breath left her as her eyes went wide, and she rocked back slightly on her heels. Ichigo immediately looked remorseful, but the damage was done. Gamuza cleared her sheathe as Neliel advanced on Ichigo. He couldn't even breathe, frozen in place as Nel's arm came down…and presented the hilt of her Zankpakto to him.

"Then please…" She begged, the first tears falling from her eyes, her voice a strangled cry. "Help me, Ichigo." She settled the tip of her blade against her heart and pushed the hilt into his chest. "Help me like you help other hollows."

"St…stop it." He commanded her harshly as he slapped the hilt away. She was persistent, pressing forward even as he backed away. "That's not what I meant! Your sword can't send you to the Soul Society! You'll just be gone!"

"I might as well be!" She cried. "If you think my existence is such a sin that it has to be destroyed, then do it!" She had backed him to the wall, with no where to go Gamuza's hilt dug sharply into his chest…and she gasped as the blade slid into her's.

His eye's wide with panic he simultaneously grabbed her shoulder and Gamuza's hilt, pushing her away with everything he had. The blade cleared with a sickening squelch, blood over its tip. He swore as he threw the sword aside, and cradled her weightless body, managing to catch her before she finished crumpling to the floor.

Her white uniform was staining red…rapidly. "Hey!" He screamed as loudly as he could, pressing down with as much pressure as he could muster. "Hey someone get in here! Pesche! Dondo Chakka! NOW!"

&

Isane's hatred for Mayuri Kurotsuchi was broiling, so much so that she was inadvertently stirring Itegumo into frenzy. Her sultry whispers of encouragement and anticipation were nudging Isane towards a loss of control, pushing her to take up her sword and not sheathe it unless Mayuri Kurotsuchi had drawn his last breath. It was hard to center herself, but she still didn't have the answers to the questions driving her.

Isane was so lost in her reverie she did not notice the subtle collection of mist that was escaping the hilt of Itegumo, never realized that an ethereal form was materializing over her shoulder until she heard the voice that rolled over her like an easy breeze, cold and refreshing, "Why are we wasting time here? You know what has to be done."

A shudder passed through Isane, but a pleasant one, encouraging feelings of shame and disgust. It was so disconcerting how Itegumo's voice always had this affect on her, raising goose bumps on Isane's flesh even as she suggested the most horrible acts of violence.

Isane looked over her shoulder for a moment as Itegumo glided back and forth through the library looking for something to hold her interest. She was a cloud of frozen air humanoid in shape, but her features were obscured with every step she took, as if her body was struggling to keep up with its own movement.

When she ceased her pacing, her form finally settled. Similar in height and build to Isane, she actually mirrored her master's hair style, two beaded braids trailed down her left temple, and another pair flowed down her back, but the rest of her hair was actually longer than Isane's, trailing down her shoulders and covering her forehead in dark bangs that reflected deep azure in the light. Her shoulders were wrapped in a white shawl, intricate snow flake patterns inlaid in the fabric.

Her clothes matched her light blue skin tone perfectly. She wore a short sleeveless blouse that covered her modest chest but was cut to expose the lower half of the skin between breasts. The rest of her torso was completely bare save for archaic symbols in deep blue that decorated nearly every inch of exposed skin. Her skirt barely reached the middle of her thighs, but was tightly woven to avoid accidentally exposing any indecency. Her bare legs and feet shared in the tattoos on her torso. Thin silver bracelets encircled both of her forearms.

Her face possessed an otherworldly, ethereal beauty like an angel…or a specter. She was wearing a wan smile, as if she were excited at some unknown prospect, but disappointed. Disappointed because she knew Isane would endeavor to block her at every turn.

"I must be getting close to Bankai if I can materialize you without even thinking about it." Isane finally answered as she searched for the next relevant journal entry.

Itegumo's chuckle was sardonic, the breeze that was her voice quiet and sad, "If Bankai is what you seek, your options are what they've always been. You're no closer to subduing me than you were a century ago." She turned to look at Isane, her eyes glimmering softly like icicles reflecting the light, as beautiful as any diamond, "But we both know you don't want Bankai. You don't want _me_."

It was pitiful and heart wrenching as always, the palpable pain Itegumo felt for Isane's rejection. Isane closed her eyes to collect herself, "This isn't a discussion I can have right now."

"I'll settle for watching the heart of your enemy slowly stop." There was a sudden energy to her tone, an eagerness to tap into the power that Isane was restraining and turn it loose in an orgy of freezing death. "You know you want to. Why fight it?"

"Nemu is more important." Isane argued.

Itegumo's expression turned fierce, "Kill Kurotsuchi and you free Nemu, I don't see how our goals in this are mutually exclusive."

Isane was trying to read the pages, but every few words she completely forgot the sentence before it. "If you keep distracting me, I'll put you back."

It was silent in the room after that, except for the gentle swaying of the air that made up Itegumo's body. She finally whispered, "I'll be quiet if I can just sit with you…please?"

"…all right."

&

100 Years earlier.

Kisuke Urahara and Retsu Unohana walked side by side, as befitting their equal rank, down the corridors of the recently established Bureau of Research and Development. The various researchers and staffers had long since grown accustomed to seeing the Captain of the Fourth Squad, she had been making similar visits over the course of several weeks. However none of them were aware of why, and being the curious minds that they were several different theories and hypotheses had been circulating.

The casual observer instantly would recognize it as gossip and rumors, mostly centered around a more personal relationship between the two Captains. The more pragmatic minded thought the pair was simply cooperating on something completely benign, like joint medical training or pharmaceutical research.

When they finally found out that Mayuri Kurotsuchi was also involved, the rumors spiraled out of control. The disturbances the gossip mongering was causing to the 12th was finally significant enough for their usually laid back captain to take action.

All it took was a squad meeting, wearing his most cheerful smile, and reminding his collected subordinates he had complete control over their responsibilities…and that he was seriously considering re-assigning the less productive members as test subjects for Kurotsuchi's _personal_ experiments.

Hardly a whisper escaped about the subject afterwords, but that didn't stop the wild theories spinning inside the heads at the Bureau.

"Have there been any changes?" Retsu asked, a slight edge of trepidation in her voice.

Kisuke's negative reply was apparently not unanticipated, "Afraid not. We're still running into the same problem. We can't sustain a stable reishi reaction long enough for conception to occur."

Her sigh was audible, "Are we coming any closer to the threshold?"

"The results are fluctuating too severely." Kisuke explained. "We can't reliably measure distinct progress. Some tests were several seconds closer to threshold, others several behind. The end result has been the only constant."

"Entropy." She supplied sadly.

"Quite potent, as we've found." Kisuke mused.

Potent was putting it mildly. Kurotsuchi's theory was sound, but in application it was proving far too difficult to control. Reishi reactions were volatile by their nature, and every attempt they had made to sustain a stable one ultimately ended in entropy, the individual reishi particles scattering…the casual observer would no doubt label it for what it was.

An explosion.

Nothing catastrophic of course, the reishi used in the experiments was not of sufficient grade or quality to affect much damage. A single unseated Shinigami could cause significantly more destruction with a low grade kidou.

However such an event happening in a woman's womb would no doubt necessitate a hospitalization...or worse.

Weeks of frustration were certainly taking their toll, on Kisuke and especially Retsu. However Retsu noticed something else that was growing to alarm her, "Has Mr. Kurotsuchi been well?"

He looked at her briefly, his mouth drawn in a neutral line, "You've seen him. It hasn't gotten any better."

Her tone turned reproachful, "It's unhealthy, both physically and mentally. You should consider disciplining him, for his sake."

He sighed, "It would do more harm than good. He's already frustrated and driven as it is. If I drag him away from the work now I'd have to _heavily _sedate him to keep him away. Anything less and he'd be back in the lab the second my back was turned."

"He's not driven, he's obsessive." She argued.

Kisuke nodded once, "I can't really disagree with you. You have to understand that to Mayuri, failure is a very personal thing. He absolutely expected that he already had the answer. When the experiment you insisted on turned out the way it did…"

"It demonstrated his 'failure' in a public forum." She finished. "Is that why he's been working so hard with minimal food and sleep? He's embarrassed?"

"Angry at himself." Kisuke corrected.

A ghost of a smile graced her lips as she paused for several moments, considering, "Are you sure he isn't angry with me?" She finally asked, "He certainly hasn't appreciated my input over the last few sessions."

"You really have been getting under his skin." Kisuke responded with an amused drawl to his voice. "I don't think he's used to someone challenging him on such an intellectual basis."

"Not even from you or Lieutenant Sarugaki?" Retsu asked with amused interest.

Kisuke affected a shrug, "From a purely scientific perspective he is rarely wrong, and I'm hardly one to judge him on his social graces."

Retsu made a small show of nodding in agreement with him, which he rewarded with a mock scowl. She only smiled sweetly.

"And he ignores Hiyori's outbursts because in his mind he can dismiss them as the irrational outbursts of a diminutive psychopath."

She turned to face him with a lifted eyebrow and a smirk.

"His words not mine, but she is a handful." He defended himself quickly even as he rubbed the distinct bruise on his chin. He took a moment, as if considering whether he should make a comment before finally uttering, "I think you've been a positive influence on him."

"He is certainly a more complex individual than I originally believed." She admitted after a slight pause. "He is intelligent, and with that a degree of eccentricity is certainly understandable, but he still worries me."

Kisuke nodded, "That's why I keep such a close eye on him. He's not wired the way that most of us are. He's almost oblivious to the human consequences of his ideas."

She pondered for a moment, "If nothing else comes out of this project, and we fail to develop a successful treatment, it would be a small victory if we managed to encourage Mr. Kurotsuchi to consider such things."

His hand gently gripped her shoulder, "We'll be successful."

She smiled in appreciation of the sentiment, but she was interrupted by another voice before she could say anything else. "There you are!"

Kisuke stiffened as a nervous shudder passed violently up and down his spine. The voice was angry, and scraped against his soul like rusty nails against a chalkboard. When he spun to face the newcomer, his goofiest grin was firmly in place, and his eyes were expertly hidden in the shadow of his bangs, "Hiyori! I was just coming to see you! How's my favor…!" Kisuke doubled over in a groaning exhale as Hiyori Sarugaki's small fist impacted his stomach with nearly enough force to flex his spine.

With her Captain's face suitably lowered to meet her infuriated gaze without her having to crane her neck up, her hand shot out again, gripping his nose between three fingers and then she violently twisted them. With a yelp Kisuke's head was spun to the side, letting his bangs fall away from his forehead and revealing his wide open eyes.

"Good evening, Captain Unohana." Hiyori finally acknowledged the much taller woman with a pleased grin that displayed her fang proudly.

"Good evening, Lieutenant Sarugaki." Retsu replied with warmth to her tone. "May I ask what duty Captain Urahara has neglected this time?"

"Hey!" He protested, his nasal voice comically distorted. "I resent the fact that you can imagine for a second I've done anything to deserve this abuse!"

"Shaddup!" Hiyori scowled harshly as she gave Kisuke a healthy slap upside his head. "No one's talking to you right now, blondie!"

"Looked in a mirror lately!?" He shouted back with indignation, which of course earned him an even harder closed fisted blow.

"You said you were coming to help me welcome the new recruits and file their personnel reports FOUR HOURS ago." She emphasized her last words with successively harder twists of his abused nose. "Now I've already done my half, but there is no way in hell you're letting them sit there for a week while you play mad scientist! March your pale white ass to that office now before I twist something off you'll really miss!"

Kisuke tried to chuckle in good humor but his effort was wasted, "It seems our project will have to wait, Captain Unohana, I trust you'll be alright with Mayuri until I am able to return?"

Hiyori's grip on Kisuke relaxed significantly, "You're leaving her alone with Kurotsuchi?"

"There will be no problems, Lieutenant Sarugaki." Retsu assured her. "The worst I can expect from Mr. Kurotsuchi is a debate, and that's only if he deigns to spare me any attention from his research."

Hiyori looked uneasy, like she wanted to argue the point. She clearly thought it a terrible fate to be left to Mayuri's graces, but Kisuke expertly stole her attention away, "Come along, we'll get the reports done faster if we work together."

"I already did my half!" She shouted indignantly as she followed her Captain around a corner. Her voice started to fade as she continued, "The only work I'll be doing is to your face if you keep pissing me off!"

&

The room was dimmed, only a few strategically placed lamps provided soft illumination casting deep shadows and obscuring his features. The station he was working at required him to stand in such a way as to present his profile, his odd earpiece catching and harshly reflecting a glow, an eerie beacon to mark his presence.

"Good evening, Mr. Kurotsuchi." She ventured courteously. She approached at a leisurely pace even as her trained eye began taking in minute details, diagnosing his health almost automatically.

"Captain Unohana." He turned his gaze to her, all of his teeth on full display as he displayed a wide smile.

She stopped in her tracks, instantly wary. His eyes, his expression, it was nearly manic. Had the stresses finally caught up? Then she felt it, and all the breath left her body in a rush.

"Yes." He confirmed. The single word was a hiss of exultation, a barely restrained cry of triumph. "I've done it."

The feeling came again, barely brushing her senses like the faintest breeze. Then again and again, like the gentle ebb and flow of small waves during calm seas, both rhythmic and soothing.

Tears began to slide down her face as she let out a shuddering breath.

"Come." She started at the sound of his voice, snapping back from her reverie. He was beckoning her forward, "come look on my success."

It didn't escape her notice how he claimed full responsibility, but she was lost in the sensation. Her finely tuned spiritual senses were absolutely overwhelmed by the pulses of reiatsu emanating from near Mayuri.

Her rational mind already knew what it was, but she was shocked still. The pulses were among the faintest and simplest she had ever experienced, but she was shaking to the core all the same. It rolled through every cell in her body, leaving warmth in its wake.

A rudimentary soul, gathering reishi and slowly growing into a physical form.

A baby.

&

The fallout next time.

Sooner than the last update, much sooner if I can.

Happy holidays everyone.

madmanmay


	13. A Price She absolutely Could Not Pay

Hey Guys,

So I got this out a lot earlier than the last break, which is good, but still not as quick as I would've liked. This is a powerful chapter and I decided to cut it off where I did for the effect. We'll be focusing on the Seireitei side of things for this chapter and the next, then maybe we'll see some more of Aizen's side of the fence.

My thanks to Abstract for her great support on this segment.

You may want to reread the end of chapter 12 to get into the feel of where we start off here

Kindly let me know what you think, enjoy chapter 13

The Price She Absolutely Could Not Pay

&

Tears ran fresh down Retsu's face as she finally managed to move to Mayuri's side. He eagerly took a step back, allowing her to fully face his greatest success. The machine hummed with power, feeding precisely measured reishi particles into a cylindrical capsule roughly as large as her forearm.

Her fingers trembled as she slowly reached out, and a small cry escaped her lips. Amidst her jumbled thoughts and racing heart one thought cut a clear path through the haze.

The reiatsu was warm. It was real.

She exhaled in jubilance, lifting a hand to cover her wide smile. She took several quick breaths in succession as she tried to dry her eyes with the back of a hand. The glow was so faint, barely a pinpoint against its surroundings, but the azure light was the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Mayuri mused at her side, peering over her shoulder. "Absolutely astonishing."

She hadn't found her voice but she graced him with a glance and a quick nod, unwilling to tear her attention from the speck of life growing before her.

"The reishi reaction will be able to support the soul for approximately three hundred and thirty six hours." Mayuri explained, but Retsu barely heard him. "We can safely implant at your convenience, however the sooner the better. Your reiatsu…"

"Implant?" She breathed, interrupting him.

He nodded eagerly, "Of course. The soul will best be able to thrive by nourishing on the reiatsu of its mother."

"Mother?" Her heart nearly stopped and she was close to stammering. "That is a bit premature." Mayuri opened his mouth to speak but Retsu continued on before he could cut in, "I certainly appreciate being offered the opportunity, Mr. Kurotsuchi, however to be frank I wasn't expecting you to be successful. I have to give due thought to how this will affect my other responsibilities before I can make such a commitment."

He looked at her for a moment, incredulous, "Perhaps I was being too obscure." Mayuri started. "The soul was created by the combination of two reiatsu's while supported by a reishi reaction."

She was suddenly uneasy, "What are you saying?"

Mayuri waved his hand over the capsule, "Your reiatsu comprises half the makeup of this life, Captain Unohana. You will be the mother whether or not it resides within your womb."

Her throat seized up, completely dry, and her stomach knotted fiercely, threatening to bend her in half even has her legs trembled, desperate to support her. "I…" She started with a dry rasp. "I never gave my consent for such a thing."

Mayuri seemed slightly taken aback, "What do you mean? Your participation in the project was because of your desire to create life. This is what you wanted from the beginning."

She stared at him for long moments, horrified. He was legitimately confused, she realized. He had no concept, no idea of the violation he had committed upon her. "Who was the other donor?" She whispered, frightened of the answer that already screamed at her from the depths of her soul.

"Of course, it was I." He affirmed.

She almost vomited. Her grace and poise utterly failed her as she clamped a hand over her mouth and wrapped the other around her convulsing stomach. Her Zanpakto slipped from her shoulder, clattering harshly as it hit the floor even as she stumbled back several steps. Finally her knees caught on something and she fell onto the cold metal of a work bench.

She spent several moments trying to control her breathing, trying to recover from the dramatic spikes of excitement and disgust. Her eyes were shut and her head bowed, his mere presence was just an exacerbation of the taint that was filling her senses, an ever increasing tide of nausea.

For his part, he did what he always did when something confused him, he analyzed. Her obvious distress, the physical revulsion, and her difficulty in breathing all pointed to a conclusion that mystified him. "Whatever is the problem, Captain Unohana? Don't you understand what I've accomplished? It is due in no small part to your own contributions, your own brilliance." He paused for a moment, "I could think of no tribute more fitting to offer you. Think of the potential this life has with us to guide it…"

"Shut up." She interrupted, mortified, without bringing her eyes to him. "I can't hear this, I can't."

Unfortunately, while the mysteries of the universe revealed themselves to him under his dedicated scientific inquiry, the subtleties of the human heart were simply alien. So, by reflex, his anger surged forwards, "I have given you what you've always wanted! I've achieved a feat unrivaled in the history of the Soul Society! You dare reject this gift!? You DARE look upon my creation and heave in disgust!?"

"Monster." Retsu's eyes, devoid of warmth or compassion burned through him. "I made a terrible mistake ever trusting you. I let myself be blinded by my own selfishness, and I refused to acknowledge what is so painfully obvious. You're a sociopath, a monster."

Mayuri's hands curled into fists as his lips spread to sneer, "You too then? My academy instructors were just as short-sided when they condemned me to that hell. I thought you more intelligent than those peons. You disappoint me."

Any and all considerations of rank or protocol were completely nonexistent. When her open palm spun his head sharply to the left Retsu wasn't acting as Captain of the 4th squad, or even as a Shinigami. She was a wounded woman lashing out, desperately seeking an outlet for the anguish and rage choking her.

He turned his eye to her without bringing the rest of his face back from the blow, "Ungrateful cow."

She added reiatsu to the next blow, but Mayuri anticipated the attack and caught her wrist, and in a spout of sheer audacity stepped into her, neatly completing a full body hold.

She cringed at his proximity, his reiatsu invaded every pore. His scent, the dull tang of antiseptics burned her nostrils, and his grip was impossibly strong, using fingers more akin to steel clamps than flesh and bone.

Mayuri's eyes were motionless and unblinking as he stared her down, shattering her focus and resistance, his breath inducing her to wretch. "I will forgive these insults only because our child…"

He was the first one to say it aloud, and it shook her to the core.

"requires your reiatsu to live." His grip tightened to the point of pain, "Do you understand, woman? Our child will die without you. So get over whatever irrational lunacy is destroying your focus and chose a time for implantation! Sooner rather than later if you please, the supplementary materials are degrading even as we waste time with your attack of hysterics!"

Supplemental materials? Retsu's mind homed in on the phrase with sudden startling clarity considering the situation. Her breathing slowed to normal, and her muscles tensed as she reasserted herself. "Unhand me and step back." She ordered darkly. Her reiatsu rippled, an unspoken threat of the damage she was prepared to inflict if he refused to obey.

As she had appeared to calm, he did as instructed, releasing her and taking two large steps back.

"You are to never touch me again. Make no mistake, there will be consequences for what you've done here. The only small hope you have for retaining even a measure of the freedom you currently enjoy is to be absolutely candid with me, right now."

"I have done nothing but tell the truth." Mayuri asserted with no fear. "Ask whatever you desire."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, "What supplemental materials are you using to sustain the reishi reaction?"

He spun on one foot and strode towards the rear of the chamber, past the device housing the child. Retsu exhaled as she saw what he was moving towards, cursing herself for not noticing it sooner. She reached down and quietly retrieved her sword while his back was still turned.

His eyes narrowed when he turned to face her again, but betrayed no other reaction. "As you no doubt know, this device is a storage compartment with thick reishi blocking materials built into it. Its intended purpose is the safe storage of hazardous waste until proper disposal. With a few modifications I've utilized the technology to slowly and precisely dilute the reishi to induce conception, and sustain the child."

"The quality and grade of reishi necessary to fuel such a technique doesn't exist." Retsu argued.

"Of course it does." Mayuri responded. Her breath left her in a rush. She immediately realized what he was saying but he spelled it out for her anyway. "The purest reishi is readily available in every human soul."

She froze for half a second, but her eyes hardened as she planted her leading foot. Minazuki cleared its sheath with a harsh scrape, "Open it now! Get the soul out before it dissipates!"

He growled, "Are you completely insane?" He slapped a button and the black shield obscuring the device slid into the floor, revealing the form within. "This trash has already been sentenced. I merely rescued invaluable reishi from being squandered in transmigration when instead it could be used to create new life! What good is it to recycle such a flawed and destructive soul? What I've created here is a much greater use of this reishi!"

Minazuki's tip dipped to the floor as Retsu's mouth worked in horrified awe. It was a girl, her body no more than fifteen years old with long black hair and green eyes. Her mouth was working in screams. "Dear god," Restu moaned. "She's conscious."

"Don't spare your sympathy for this creature." Mayuri scoffed with disdain. "She was found guilty of seven murders, including that of a shinigami sent to capture her."

"Whatever her crimes, nothing can justify what you're doing! You can't predict what this soul's next reincarnation will bring for good or bad! You don't have the right to make that decision! Open it!" She commanded harshly as she strode forward.

"Out of the question!" He shouted. "Any disruption in the process will kill the child!"

She stopped. Her eyes were locked on the girl before her, who was screaming soundlessly as Mayuri's machines ripped her reishi apart to feed his fiendish process. Her arms trembled, and she cursed her hesitation, hated herself for not springing into action.

Despite her desperation to act, she was shackled by the smallest of things. The nascent reiatsu was still pulsing steadily, growing with each passing moment, sweeping over her senses with every heartbeat. Her child.

"Sheath your sword." Mayuri commanded harshly. He had placed himself between Retsu and the tank. His fierce gaze and stiff ready posture displayed his resolve to stop her. "I won't let you kill our child."

It was a harsh blow, and Retsu suddenly felt like she was surrounded, being attacked on all sides. He was painfully reminding her he had stolen her essence, violated her in one of the most horrid ways imaginable, but at the same time to act against him and save the life of his victim…would mean the death of her baby.

The very thought seemed to shut out any other consideration. Ten minutes ago she would have never been able to guess that something could change her so profoundly, so completely.

What Kurotsuchi was doing was wrong, monstrous, evil even. All of her training as a Shinigami, her conscience and her compassion begged her to step forward and end the poor girls' suffering.

The reiatsu still held her paralyzed nonetheless. Maternal instinct she had craved to experience for millennia exerted itself so ferociously that her whole body was shaking.

"I'll say it again." His voice grated against her soul, and forced her to meet his unblinking yellow eyes. "Sheath your sword."

She almost let Minazuki fall from her fingertips, but movement over Mayuri's shoulder caught her attention.

Her breath hitched in her throat the moment she met those jade eyes. They were wide with panic, desperate for help. A living breathing soul was being tortured to death, her violent throes smashing against her cage with everything she could muster…

Retsu took a deep breath, and resigned herself, even though she knew it would break her heart.

Kurotsuchi was ready for her charge. His left hand came up, palm open as he began to rotate his body. The flash of light from his Kido was brief, but powerful, successfully blinding Retsu long enough for him to finish his spin, and come up at her with his Zankapkto in a diagonal slash.

Their blades scraped together harshly, but Retsu was forced to retreat backwards. Mayuri was within her reach, pressing the advantage of his shorter blade by denying Retsu the room to maneuver her much longer Minazuki.

His initiative was short lived, Retsu was far too experienced to let herself be controlled. Mayuri overreached on a thrust by a small margin, but it was enough. With a deft spin her sword was arching down for a slash that would open Mayuri from shoulder to hip.

Off balance, and in no position to bring his own blade back to parry in time, he leaned precariously back, turning a fatal blow into a shallow cut.

Retsu allowed the momentum of her blade to assist a second spin, crouching low, and kicking out with her leading foot. The sweep was surgical in its accuracy and power, tagging the backs of Mayuri's knees with just enough force to bend them forwards, letting them slam awkwardly to the ground while his torso was still falling backwards.

His shoulders had barely smacked the tiles before Minazuki was coming down for a final slash to his neck, but despite the jarring impact Mayuri was able to brace against the blow with only one hand on his sword.

He grit his teeth against the strain, and his eyes narrowed when Retsu's attention left him.

"Hadou 4, Byakurai!" Her left index finger was glowing with power waiting to be released, but Kurotsuchi's eyes widened when he realized he wasn't the target.

He didn't need to strain his neck to realize she was planning on destroying the tank. Swift as a snake his left hand dug into her signature braid.

Retsu's head was violently and painfully yanked downward to meet Mayuri's elbow. The blow caught her directly in the cheekbone and eye, and she grunted as her aim was completely destroyed. Her Kido burned a line into the ceiling.

Refusing to let go of her braid, Mayuri instead used it as leverage, mercilessly pulling with all his strength to hoist his shoulders off the floor, all the while twisting his sword hand to position another elbow strike to Retsu's opposite cheek.

Disoriented and reeling, Retsu instinctively kept her feet under her as she pooled her spiritual pressure into her free hand and struck out.

The bones in Mayuri's left forearm snapped like twigs and he cried out as his numb fingers were forced to let go. Both combatants scrambled back several steps to regain their footing and collect themselves.

Retsu could feel her face beginning to swell and tasted her own blood, her lips and nose torn and broken from Mayuri's barrage. With barely any conscious effort, her spiritual pressure was already gathering at the wounds, soothing the pain and accelerating the healing process.

His breathing was haggard as he tried to push down his own suffering, his left arm hanging at his side. "What is wrong with you, woman?" He hissed. "How can you even contemplate destroying our creation?"

"We don't have the right to sacrifice this girl for our own selfish ends." Retsu argued bitterly. "No matter what they are. For pity's sake, we're shinigami. It is our responsibility to protect all human souls."

Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed, "Our child does not qualify? We should protect a murderer before our own? Are you truly so repulsed by me you'll kill the child merely because it is mine as well as yours?"

Her anger flashed, and her stomach rolled at his audacity. "That isn't why I'm doing this. I would have never chosen you as the father of my child, but I could never let that destroy my love for it. I simply can NOT bring life into this world tainted by this depravity. Stand aside." She beseeched him.

His grip on his sword tightened, "You'll have to destroy me! Claw Out, Ashiogi Jizo!" He was attacking before his blade even finished shifting to shikai.

His ferocity and tenacity surprised her as he engaged her in a brutal display of swordplay. His attack was relentless, diving on any opening no matter how small regardless of the risk of a counter.

His eyes were hard and focused, and his mouth was open in an enraged sneer. Retsu was briefly taken aback by the strategy. First, because despite her own experienced prowess in sword combat, Mayuri was proficient enough one-handed to prevent her from disarming him. Second, he seemed willing to take serious injury for merely a glancing blow.

When he threw a thrust towards her shoulder that completely bared his stomach for a devastating slice, she finally guessed it had to be due to the ability of his Zanpakto. She realized she couldn't risk even a minor wound as long as his Zanpakto's power was a mystery to her. Dealing with his furious assault became more of a problem. He was refusing her any time to focus her kido or spiritual pressure, kept her sword locked down in defense, and the room was simply too small to effectively utilize flash steps or summon her own shikai.

Every moment he distracted her brought his victim was ever closer to the point of no return. Retsu had to end it, quickly.

In the space of a breath, in the small lull between one slash and the next, she acted. Her movement was smooth, like water flowing around a stone. Spinning on her rear foot and reversing her grip, freeing her off hand, she caught Mayuri's blade on its side while she secured his wrist in an iron grip.

He instantly recognized the danger, and retaliated harshly. Her forehead rang with the dull crack of his headbutt, but she kept her grip.

"Bakudou 4, Hainawa." His fingers went slack as he released his sword, but it was suddenly held taut by the yellow rope of his spiritual pressure.

They both focused their kido at the same time, her to her left hand, him to his left leg.

"Bakudou 8, Seki!" An energy shield materialized over Mayuri's left shin as he kicked out and pulled with all of his strength on his sword arm, sweeping his blade into a sharp pendulum motion.

Her spell had no name, it simply sharpened her spiritual pressure into a precise and deadly blade, a variation of her healing arts.

They both grit their teeth as the sound of tearing flesh invaded the room. They disengaged once again, skidding to a halt as both of their swords clattered against the floor.

Blood was freely flowing from Mayuri's wrist. A deep laceration stood in stark contrast to his unnaturally pale skin. "You severed the tendon." He mused darkly.

She didn't indulge in his banter, easily dismissing it as a delaying tactic. She didn't even spare thought as to why her own arm was numb when his clumsy attack was neither deep nor debilitating. She lifted her free hand to focus, and started her incantation, "Hadou 4, Byakurai!"

His flash step was crude, and he reappeared at her side precariously off balance, but he was still able to lift his leg in a swift kick that slapped her arm up and again destroyed her aim. His right hand was numb and lifeless, but he was still able to throw his right arm into a hard elbow strike.

They were both breathing hard in pain and exertion. Each had an arm that hung listless, threatening to destroy their balance as their battle shifted to hand to hand combat. Their hakama rustled loudly as they continued to furiously kick and stamp, a violent dance to secure position for a take down.

She was beginning to grow frustrated, and she berated herself as the battle dragged on. It was true that Mayuri's combat abilities and his vicious tenacity made him a far more formidable opponent than she would have first estimated, but she had allowed him excessive opportunity to prolong the battle.

She should have finished him when she secured that first pin, her blade inches from his throat, or when she rendered his sword arm useless. She wasn't focused, she wasn't concentrating. She was distracted. In the space of a few minutes she had learned she was going to be a mother, that Kurotsuchi had violated her body and trust, and that a young soul was being slowly murdered to feed the life of her baby. Angry, confused, and hurt she had conducted the fight poorly, knowing that every step forward was another step towards killing her own defenseless child.

With a start she realized that the victim's struggles were starting to die down, her form was beginning to distend and stretch.

The soul was losing cohesion.

Time was almost up.

Her heart thundered ferociously in her chest, ringing in her ears like cracks of thunder. She couldn't let this happen! "Enough!" she screamed. Her focus was finally honed to a blade's edge, her concentration restored, and her hesitation dispelled. It was almost too easy, his movements were as predictable as the path of the sun through the sky. In two moves she feinted, drawing him in as he attempted a round house kick. She bowed backwards, catching herself on her good hand, and pivoted into a stiff kick that caught his left knee at the joint.

Not even his agonized scream could drown out the terrible crunch as the joint was simply obliterated. He was going down fast, but she wasn't done yet. "Bakudo 61, Rikujokoro!" Six razor thin beams of light impacted with enough force to bruise, and he was left hacking and sputtering, dangling in midair, completely unable to move.

She breathed hard twice before resolutely declaring, "It's over."

His yellow stare was pure bile and hatred as he began shrieking, "Don't do it, damn you! Don't you dare lay a finger on any of this equipment!"

Her stride towards him was quick and determined, and his voice grew more desperate exponentially. "How could you even think to do this!? Can't you see it's potential? Can't you understand the opportunity I've provided you? That I can provide for others like you? Just think of all our child could accomplish with our combined intellect and guidance! Don't take that away! Don't…!"

The touch of two of her fingers upon his forehead was surprisingly gentle considering the fierce brawl they had just finished. The surge of her reiatsu was precise, and Mayruri's eyes rolled back into his head as his neck lost all tension. His head slumped suddenly but he refused to slip into the slumber that Retsu's kido induced. He couldn't lift his gaze to her and his words were slurred and groggy, a piteous moan, "Please. Don't do this, please."

Retsu shut her eyes as she focused her hadou, "I don't want to…I have to."

Mayuri made a sound deep in his throat, drowned out by the crack of Retsu's spell. The tank was neatly sliced open at the bottom, but the glass shattered nonetheless. The lights flickered dangerously as the machine increased power, desperate to continue drawing reishi from a nonexistent source.

Retsu managed to catch the girl, and wrapped her in her haori as the poor thing continued to twitch, spasm, and moan in pain. Retsu kept her voice low as she whispered soothing reassurances and her spiritual pressure sought out the damage to begin mending it.

Mayuri's machinery continued to hum louder as the reishi supply was exhausted, a rising crescendo that tore at Retsu's heart. Her senses reached out, desperate to hold onto a reiatsu that was pulsing erratically…and ever weaker by the second.

Her grip tightened around the young girl in her arms instinctively as she caught her lower lip between her teeth, clamping down painfully. Tears began trekking down her face as she began sobbing softly deep in her throat, shaking her chest.

It wasn't fair, she mused. It simply wasn't fair. Millenia of patience, and she was rewarded with her greatest gift…at a price she absolutely could not pay. For only a brief glimpse, the gentlest brush of the joy she had craved so desperately she now had to endure a pain that clawed at her heart and emptied her soul.

There was a dull click as the machinery finally gave up, its power expended. The humming died down swiftly…and with one last dull flare of reiatsu it was over.

She seized up as something deep inside her, a piece of her soul was shattered forever.

Her scream tore her throat raw.

&

Ummmmmm....Happy Early Valentine's Day?


End file.
